for snare drum (2020)
Duration: [5:30]
Program Notes
Finishing this piece during the summer of 2020 was a nice, low-pressure compositional project for me. After composing varied chamber and large ensemble works, it’s nice to come back to my roots as a percussionist and write something that pushes fellow snare drum players to ask themselves “how soft can I really play that?” or “are those quintuplets exactly in time, or am I just fudging it?”. Hugely important questions.
The first movement focuses on very fast and very soft, accurate playing. Quick transitions from playing on the shell of the drum to quick, articulate passages near the rim challenge the player to find their highest degree of control. The second movement also utilizes different placements on the drumhead, but this time at a slightly slower tempo with more complicated time signatures and a heavy emphasis on groove.
