The Next Star: Percussion Mixed Duo & Ensemble, Choir, Score and Parts

Energetic and approachable. The writing meets young percussionists where they are, offering engaging rhythmic material and clear textural contrasts that keep the ensemble engaged without overwhelming them technically.

Drum lines, Winter Guard groups, and indoor percussion ensembles that need one piece to serve multiple performance situations. Directors working with 17 percussionists at the Grade 2 level will find this especially practical when roster sizes fluctuate or when you want the same music to work across different competitive or concert formats.

• Clarify which instrumentation you're using before rehearsal starts. The score can accommodate several different lineups, so lock in your personnel early so parts are distributed correctly.
• Balance the ensemble carefully when you have flexible personnel. Some students may cover multiple instruments across performances, so track who handles what during the actual concert run.
• Let the score guide your dynamic control. Grade 2 writing often relies on careful voicing rather than brute volume, so make sure the lighter parts cut through without drowning the leads.

Feature this on a concert where you want to showcase percussion in multiple ways. If you run both a drum line and an indoor ensemble, you could perform it twice in the same program with different configurations, or use it as the anchor piece for a percussion-focused half of your concert.

• Transitioning between different instrument setups within a single ensemble
• Reading parts written for flexible instrumentation
• Balancing texture when personnel count varies
• Rhythmic precision in Grade 2 mixed-percussion writing
• Listening to multiple percussion timbres and their interactions