Stick Dance for Eight Heads: Percussion Ensemble Score & Parts

Energetic, propulsive, and intellectually engaging. The interplay between the resonant timpani and the sharp attack of tom-toms creates textural variety within a driving rhythmic framework, keeping the listener engaged throughout.

Directors with two confident percussionists who understand rhythmic independence and can handle metric modulation with precision. This piece rewards players who can keep their internal pulse steady while the overall tempo shifts around them.

• Establish the relationship between tom-tom and timpani lines before rehearsal; the contrast matters musically and helps each player hear their role within the texture.
• Work the metric modulation passages slowly at first, locking the rhythmic proportions before bringing up tempo.
• Balance the articulation between the two sets so the tom-toms punch through without overwhelming the timpani's resonance.
• Mark exact mallet choices in the parts if the composer hasn't specified; consistency across multiple run-throughs builds security in the rhythmic drive.

Pair this with other metric modulation or contemporary percussion works to build a thematic set, or use it as a showstopper midprogram when you want to highlight advanced rhythmic writing and soloistic percussion. It works especially well when you've built ensemble rhythm skills earlier in the concert.

• Metric modulation and tempo changes driven by rhythmic proportion
• Coordination and independence between two separate drum sets
• Timbral balance and voicing in multi-percussion ensemble writing
• Maintaining pulse integrity through complex rhythmic figures