Finding the right piece of music for middle school percussion ensembles can be a challenge. “TURBULENCE” was written to satisfy that need. It is written for seven performers with slightly different skillsets, using commonly accessible percussion instruments. This piece is dedicated to all of my middle school students past, present, and future that have or will navigate the daily turbulence of life as a middle school student.

Available for purchase here. Published by C. Alan Publications.

Performed by the Jacksonville State University Percussion Ensemble in the new literature concert at PASIC 2022.

“This is a fun, engaging, and “artsy piece for beginning percussionists to explore for a middle-school percussion ensemble concert. Written for developing percussionists, this 2½-minute work is structured in a quasi-ABA format and targets several areas that will be of great value to young performers.

Several pedagogical facets of this piece are worthy of consideration. First, each of the seven players is required to play on more than one instrument, and most players have to switch implements (like bass drum beater to marimba mallets, or chime hammers to vibraphone mallets). Introducing this skill early to students sets them up for later success, when switching instruments is expected to become second nature. Additionally, the rhythmic and/or harmonic structure for each player’s part focuses on only one or two ideas (E.G., sixteenth notes, diatonic moving lines, ride-cymbal downbeats), which will not overwhelm young players as they prepare for performance.

The seven parts are written to accommodate a group of players who possess a variety of performance-skill levels. This way, students who are comfortable moving mallet parts get to make music with their friends who might only be comfortable playing suspended cymbal rolls and tam-tam impacts. This work does a good job of addressing a variety of common problems/challenges that beginning percussionists face in the band room. it has a catchy melody, written with rhythmic parts that line up with everyone in the group, and it will challenge each student in all the right musical ways.”

JOSHUA D. SMITH
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 6, December 2021