Multiple Percussion Solos: Part(s)

This collection offers six distinctly characterized pieces that keep students engaged across a single rehearsal or recital. Each solo presents a different technical or musical challenge without sacrificing the kind of straightforward, playable writing that makes intermediate percussion repertoire actually fun to teach.

These solos range from playful and rhythmically driving to lyrical and contemplative, offering percussionists a genuine sense of musical personality rather than purely technical exercise. The variety keeps listeners engaged and gives performers genuine expressive choices within each piece's clear musical identity.

Intermediate percussionists preparing for solo recitals, festival performances, or auditions will find practical, performance-ready material here. This collection also works well for students building confidence on multiple percussion instruments simultaneously, since each piece focuses on a manageable subset of the percussion family.

• Balance melodic clarity with rhythmic precision when moving between instruments; the transitions between pitched and unpitched percussion are where phrase shape lives.
• Approach the softer dynamic sections with intentional control rather than timidity; intermediate players often retreat into quietness instead of playing soft notes with presence.
• Listen carefully to the written rhythm patterns, especially in pieces built on ostinato; Burns uses rhythmic figures as his primary compositional tool, and locking them in creates the piece's identity.
• Treat mallet selection as part of your interpretation; different mallet hardnesses and materials will shift the character significantly across these varied solos.

String two or three of these pieces together on a recital program to showcase a student's versatility across the percussion family without overwhelming their preparation timeline. The collection's diversity also makes it ideal for a festival or concert spotlight where you want to demonstrate what intermediate percussion playing can accomplish musically.

• Coordinating mallets and hand positions across multiple percussion instruments
• Reading and executing rhythmic ostinati with consistency and precision
• Transitioning smoothly between pitched percussion (vibraphone, marimba) and unpitched instruments (drums, cymbals)
• Controlling dynamic nuance and tonal quality across different striking implements
• Building phrasing and musical interpretation within rhythmically driven contexts