Four Dances for Percussion Ensemble by Rick Dior gives 8 (or more) percussionists the chance to explore sounds heavily influenced by traditional South American, Asian, and African percussion. This groove-central piece is entertaining for both the players and the audience.
The first movement, Minimalistic Dance, relies on a repetitive timpani figure based on an African rhythm. Then comes Festive Dance, inspired by Flamenco clapping, Central/South American melodies, and (oddly enough) an Irish Jig.
The third movement, Eastern Dance, utilizes some sounds the audience might not be used to hearing: opera gongs, bowed cymbals, a Vibratone, and more. The piece ends with Percussive Dance, a frenzied homage to orchestral percussion.
Add this piece to your percussion ensemble concert to give everybody a taste of the outside world.
Difficulty: Medium
Duration: 8:30
Instrumentation:
- Player 1: Xylophone
- Player 2: Bells
- Player 3: Timpani (4)
- Player 4: Percussion 1
- Snare Drum, Bongos, Tambourine
- Suspended Cymbal, Opera Gongs (3)
- Player 5: Percussion 2
- Player 6: Percussion 3
- Concert Bass Drum, Tambourine
- High and Low Claves
- Player 7: Percussion 4
- Shaker, Caxixi (2), Triangle
- Wind Gong, Temple Gong
- Crash Cymbals, Suspended Cymbal
- Player 8: Percussion 5
- 4.0 Octave Marimba, Finger Cymbals
- Wooden Windchimes, Suspended Cymbal, Tam-Tam
Four Dances for Percussion Ensemble comes as a fully bound score with a CD containing individual parts for printing and a recording.
You can double the xylophone part on a marimba (one octave lower) and/or the bell part on vibraphone (two octaves lower) to add in more players.
If you happen to have an African Balafon, use it instead of a xylophone. Other sounds may be substituted as needed.
