JOHN HERNDON REACH
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PROGRAM & PERFORMANCE NOTES
Reach was crafted specifically for new percussionists and programs that are new to percussion ensembles. To that end, I worked carefully to make the musical content accessible and the ensemble requirements flexible.
The parts all fall into one of three categories:
1. Melody (glockenspiel, xylophone, marimba 1)
• quarter note and eighth note rhythms
• eight pitches: G–G, primarily uses Bb–F
• mostly stepwise melodic motion
• repeated phrases with time to prepare for variation
2. Harmony (chimes, vibraphone, marimba 2, timpani)
• quarter, eighth, half, and whole note rhythms
• six pitches: Bb–G
• mostly repeated pitches establishing harmony
• time to prepare for pitch leaps
3. Percussion (snare drum, bass drum, cymbals/triangle)
• snare closely aligns with melody parts and contains some flams and buzz rolls
• bass drum and percussion closely align with harmony parts
• if snare drum part is not used, please omit measure 62
I hope you will find this to be a piece that percussionists can successfully begin working on after completing just a dozen or so pages in their method books. A few years ago I wrote Begin Transmission to be a “first adventure into the world of percussion ensemble music.” Then I wrote Again, which was even more accessible. Now Reach, the most elementary of the three, is a new on-ramp to percussion ensemble. And I will continue writing to get more and more students involved.
I believe there is no limit to the heights to which our young percussionists can climb if only they can reach that first rung.
—John Herndon
PLAYERS AND INSTRUMENTATION
Reach requires 2-11+ players with the following instrumentation:
1. Glockenspiel
2. Chimes
3. Xylophone
4. Vibraphone
5. Marimba 1 (4-octave)
6. Marimba 2 (4-octave or share w/ M1)
7. 4 Timpani
8. Snare drum
9. Bass drum
10. Percussion — hand cymbals, triangle
INSTRUMENTATION OPTIONS
Reach can be performed with as few as two percussionists and may be expanded to accommodate ensembles of practically any size. Here are several options for how it may be performed:
●2 players — marimba 1 and marimba 2
●4 players — chimes, glockenspiel, xylophone, and timpani
●6 players — glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone, marimba 1, marimba 2, and timpani
●7 players — chimes, glockenspiel, xylophone, timpani, SD, BD, percussion
●8 players — glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone, marimba 1, timpani, SD, BD, percussion
●9 players — all parts except chimes
●10 players — all parts
●11+ players — all parts and begin doubling as instrumentation allows
These are just some options. Please feel free to mix and match from the melody, harmony, and percussion parts in the way that best serves your students.
SUGGESTED SETUP
G l o c k e n s p i e l
C h i m e s
X y l o p h o n e
V i b r a p h o n e
M a r i m b a 1
4 - o c t a v e
M a r i m b a 2
4 - o c t a v e
( m a y s h a r e w / M 1 )
& b b & b b & b b & b b ( & b b & b b
REACH
4 T i m p a n i
S n a r e d r u m
B a s s d r u m
