Teaching Percussion

through
Percussion Ensemble

Josh Gottry
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
and Arizona Percussive Arts Society

AMEA Conference
Mesa, AZ
January 9, 2010

Questions? Contact:
josh@gottrypercussion.com

For complete teaching sheets with more information, visit:

www.gottrypercussion.com
 Whatcha Baion by Josh Gottry
Published by HoneyRock (2007)
2 minutes; Easy; 9-13 players

Instrumentation:
1. Bells
2. Chimes (opt.)
3. Xylophone (xylophone or marimba 1 may be omitted)
4. Marimba 1
5. Marimba 2 (share 3.5 octave or larger marimba with player four)
6. Timpani (3)
7. High-Hat
8. Wood Block or Claves
9. Bongos (opt.)
10. Snare Drum
11. Agogo Bells or Cowbell (opt.)
12. Floor Tom
13. Bass Drum

Composer Notes:
Written for the Santan Junior High percussion class, Whatcha Baion? was
designed to be a flexible composition for junior high programs that desire
to introduce students to percussion ensemble. This ensemble can be
performed by players with a wide range of skill levels and utilizes
instruments that are commonly found in junior high band rooms. It would
also make a great addition to concerts by more experienced ensembles that
need to quickly put together audience-friendly or "pop" style programs.

Teaching Points: 2:3 Clave; 4-Mallet Block Chords

Dance of the Wind-Up Toy by Chris Crockarell
Published by Row-Loff Productions (1993)
2 minutes 30 seconds; Easy; 9 players

Instrumentation:
1. Bells
2. Xylophone
3. Vibraphone
4. Marimba 1
5. Marimba 2 (share 4.3 octave marimba with player four)
6. Tambourine, Snare Drum, High Tom, Ride Cymbal
7. Ratchet, Triangle, Suspended Cymbal, Siren Whistle
8. Wood Block, Temple Blocks, Bass Drum
9. Timpani (32”, 29”, 26”, 23”)

Composer Notes:
Dance of the Wind-Up Toy was written in the early years of Row-Loff
Productions. There was a concern about the void of easier percussion
ensemble literature in the marketplace. This piece was intended to be fun
and entertaining for the students yet with subliminal basic theory such as
easy chord changes and basic arpeggio movement for the keyboards as well
as basic percussion instruments using repetitive rhythms in order to serve as
a listening tool for other players. I feel that it is very important in the early
stages of percussion performance to allow the student to be a part of a
repetitive groove. The timpani part has its stand-out moments as well as
supplying a strong lower tonal and rhythmic foundation throughout the
piece. Just for fun, there are a few "toy" instruments written that help
establish that "Wind-Up Toy" sound.

Teaching Point: Multiple Percussion Logistics

 Cha-Cha Blues by Josh Gottry
Published by C. Alan Publications (2008)
2 minutes 15 seconds; Medium-Easy; 8 players

Instrumentation:
1. Xylophone
2. Vibraphone
3. Marimba 1
4. Marimba 2 (share 4.3 octave marimba with player three)
5. Claves
6. Guiro
7. Congas
8. Drumset
9. Bass Guitar (optional)

Composer Notes:
The 12-bar blues is quite possibly one of the most influential musical forms
of the past century. This simple chord progression has been incorporated
and modified by some of the greatest musicians in rock and jazz. It is
flexible enough to work in virtually any style, including of course, the Cha
Cha. After an opening ensemble statement and a few bars of the groove,
the standard 12-bar blues format begins with the xylophone serving as the
primary melodic instrument. Following two statements of the tune, the
ensemble shifts into a montuno (repetitive ostinato) section which eventually
becomes the vamp over which individuals in the ensemble can solo.

Teaching Point: Cha-Cha Patterns (clave, maracas, congas, drumset)

 Kincho Daiko by Minoru Miki
Published by Go Fish Music (1991)
3 minutes 15 seconds; Medium-Easy; 5 or more players

Instrumentation:
1. Recorder(s) or Marimba(s)
2. Cowbell
3. Temple Blocks
4. Snare Drum
5. Bass Drum

Publisher Notes:
Kincho Daiko is an intermediate ensemble piece for recorders (or marimbas)
and four percussionists. The piece uses traditional Japanese rhythms and
motives to help invoke a strong stylistic imprint on the players and
audience. This piece was written for Komatsushima-city Amateur
Percussion Group on Shikoku Island in Japan.
.
Teaching Points: Japanese Percussion; Rim Sounds

Minoru Miki is one of the most active and recognized composers from
Japan and has created numerous substantial works for percussion. Listen to
other works by Miki including:
Concerto for Marimba and Orchestra
Marimba Spiritual
Time for Marimba
 120 Degrees by Josh Gottry
Published by C. Alan Publications (2000)
4 minutes; Medium; 8 players

Instrumentation:
1. Marimba (4.0 octave or larger)
2. Vibraphone (or Bells)
3. Xylophone
4. Snare Drum
5. Bongos
6. Crash Cymbals and Ride Cymbal
7. Bass Drum
8. Timpani (32”, 29”, 26”, 23”)

Composer Notes:
Written entirely in compound meter and primarily in 12/8 time, the overall
form of 120 degrees is ABCBA with the C section in half-time and featuring
unison timpani and keyboard lines. The A section focuses primarily on a
vibraphone melody with an underlying groove established by the other
keyboards and percussion. The B section is more driving in style and
features a timpani solo followed by trade-offs between the timpani and
bongos. Based strongly with a feel in four, this piece effectively includes
groupings of four eighth notes within 12/8 for contradictory and
complimentary rhythmic effects. This piece was written for and premiered
by the Chandler Summer Percussion Ensemble in 1999.

Teaching Point: Compound Meter Rhythmic Groupings

 Techno-Pop by Nathan Daughtrey
Published by C. Alan Publications (2007)
3 minutes 20 seconds; Medium; 7 players

Instrumentation:
1. Bells and Xylophone
2. Vibraphone
3. Marimba 1
4. Marimba 2 (4.3 octave instrument shared with player 3)
5. Concert Toms (4)
6. Vibraslap, Suspended Cymbal, Wind Chimes, Cowbell, Tambourine
7. Drumset

Composer Notes:
Techno-Pop was inspired by techno music, a type of purely electronic dance
music that originated in Detroit in the 1980s. Techno has since found its
way into dance clubs and raves all over.

Teaching Points: Three Against Four Hemiola

 Shifting Waves by Josh Gottry
Published by Drop 6 Media, Inc. (2002)
3 minutes 45 seconds; Medium; 10 players

Instrumentation:
1. Bells
2. Vibraphone
3. Chimes
4. Xylophone
5. Marimba 1 (4.3 octave)
6. Marimba 2 (4.3 octave)
7. High-hat, Tambourine, Wood Block, Snare Drum
8. Congas (2), Cowbell, Castanets, Bell Tree
9. Triangle, Sus. Cymbal, Hand Claps, High-hat (shared), Bass Drum
(shared), Mark Tree
10. Bass Drum, Low Concert Tom, China Cymbal, Ride Cymbal, Cabasa

Composer Notes:
Shifting Waves is a combination of continually changing ostinatos. The first
marimba serves as the rhythmic and melodic focus of the piece as it
combines two- and three-note patterns in 6/8 and later two- and five-note
patterns in 5/4, all over constant eighth notes. After a brief lyrical interlude
in the middle of the ensemble, the texture of the piece begins to gradually
thicken. Lighter sounds (i.e. high hat, wood block) are systematically
replaced with heavier sounds (snare drum, bass drum, etc.), leading to a
strong reprise of the opening figure and a unison conclusion.

Teaching Points: Metric Modulation