ABOUT THIS COLLECTION

The Skeleton Key Collection began from the need for percussion ensemble repertoire that could be handled by a group of players with a variety of experience levels in a diverse number of situations. These pieces are meant to act as frameworks that you adjust to fit your needs.

While each piece is written with four parts, the instrumentations listed are merely guidelines, and the number of players used is entirely up to the discretion of the director. The idea is that each piece in this collection can fit just about any situation (or, in essence, a key that can open any lock).

Here are some examples of ways in which you could adjust these pieces to fit your own needs:

• Placing additional repeats in places to extend the length of the piece • Expanding or reducing the number of players in various sections to reflect the dynamics or form of the work • Opening up sections of a piece over which students or guest artists may improvise • Having players change instruments within their given family as the piece progresses • Adjusting the form of the work to start big, small, or however best fits the performance

These are just some examples, but in the end, it is entirely up to you, the director, how to structure these pieces. While they’re very effective as written, the aim of these works is to serve you and the unique situation of your students and environment.

—Brian Nozny