Composers Institute is proud to announce a partnership with the Minnesota Percussion Trio (MPT). The Trio will give a reading of 10 to 12 new percussion etudes by composers participating in Junior Composers Institute and Film & Game Music Studio. The readings will be streamed on zoom and at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls on Sunday morning, July 17.
Composers can submit one 2-3 minute score (with parts for three players) in PDF (PostScript document format) via email by 11:59pm on June 24, 2022. There is no additional cost for creating a percussion etude for the MPT reading. Scroll down to see the creative prompt.
Composers can submit one 2-3 minute score (with parts for three players) in PDF (PostScript document format) via email by 11:59pm on June 24, 2022. There is no additional cost for creating a percussion etude for the MPT reading. Scroll down to see the creative prompt.
Composers have spent the past 100 years extending the sonic potential of percussion instruments. You might notice something while listening to these musical examples: percussion instruments are much more than "color" or dramatic boosts to a musical foreground.
Percussion instruments expand the sonic universe and, of course, they use:
rhythm and
melody and
harmony and
percussion instruments' sounds express extremes in:
dark< >light
short< >sustained
loud< >soft
high< >low
fast< >slow
lyrical< >jagged
Here are just a few examples…
Percussion instruments expand the sonic universe and, of course, they use:
rhythm and
melody and
harmony and
percussion instruments' sounds express extremes in:
dark< >light
short< >sustained
loud< >soft
high< >low
fast< >slow
lyrical< >jagged
Here are just a few examples…
JOHN CAGE Amores (1943) | MITCHELL BECK Trio (2019) |
MARY ELLEN CHILDS Click JOHN CAGE Third Construction | MICHAEL GORDON Timber (2006) HAROLD BUDD Juno |
Your creative prompt is to accomplish the following in your piece:
Only 10-12 etudes will be given readings. If there are more than 12 submissions, Randall Davidson will decide which works will be including in the MPT Reading based on adherence to the prompt. It is possible works might be recorded at other times during JCI or the Studio.
You can use the following instruments:
Accessory instruments (cowbells, triangles, tambourines, castanets, maracas, claves, temple blocks, almglocken, bell tree, rainstick, shakers, etc)
Tam Tam
2 wind gongs
2 sets bongos
Timbales
Congas
5 octave marimba
Two 4.3 octave marimbas
3 vibraphones (not sure about the motors)
2 glockenspiels
Xylophone
Chimes
2 concert bass drums
2 octave set of crotales
Set of 5 timpani
Suspended and crash cymbals
Snare drums
Drum set
Concert toms (I think around 8 drums)
Cajon
2 djembes
If you have any questions about these instruments, you are invited to contact Professor Patti Cudd @ the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
- amaze, charm, enchant, surprise, or elicit an emotion
- limit one player per instrument
- 3 minutes, maximum
- you must be able to play every rhythm
- (optional) add yourself and make a quartet
Only 10-12 etudes will be given readings. If there are more than 12 submissions, Randall Davidson will decide which works will be including in the MPT Reading based on adherence to the prompt. It is possible works might be recorded at other times during JCI or the Studio.
You can use the following instruments:
Accessory instruments (cowbells, triangles, tambourines, castanets, maracas, claves, temple blocks, almglocken, bell tree, rainstick, shakers, etc)
Tam Tam
2 wind gongs
2 sets bongos
Timbales
Congas
5 octave marimba
Two 4.3 octave marimbas
3 vibraphones (not sure about the motors)
2 glockenspiels
Xylophone
Chimes
2 concert bass drums
2 octave set of crotales
Set of 5 timpani
Suspended and crash cymbals
Snare drums
Drum set
Concert toms (I think around 8 drums)
Cajon
2 djembes
If you have any questions about these instruments, you are invited to contact Professor Patti Cudd @ the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.