skitter

skitter for solo percussionist

Thomas J. Dempster (BMI)

Copyright Š 2016 Thomas J Dempster :: All Rights Reserved

Please report all performances of this work to BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated).

Visit the composer’s website at www.thomasdempster.com

skitter for solo percussionist

Thomas J. Dempster

West Columbia, SC February 2016

Copyright Š 2016 Thomas J Dempster

skitter (2016) – Duration: ca. 1:00 for Adam Scott Neal and Terminus Ensemble Program Notes Glancing the surface of a lot of percussion instruments, skitter is based on a number of small, recurring patterns, assisted with the performer making various phonetic sounds as an extension of the limited percussion array. The performer lands some glancing blows against herself as the phonetics and woody instruments battle for supremacy, dancing around jumping in and out of silences.

Performance Notes The (low) bongo requires an occasional “rub,” or similar to playing/swirling with brushes. Drag the stick just inside the rim in circular patterns to create a constant pink-noise-esque timbre. This never gets loud, nor is it supposed to be; it’s merely a nice sustained texture.

The woodblock must occasionally be played on its sides. This is designated by a solid-square notehead in the woodblock part and verbally by “sides of woodblock.” Play one side or both!

“Sticks” refers merely to slapping the snare sticks together.

The performer must make unvoiced syllables throughout: ssa – pitchless, unvoiced raspy s eliding with a forceful exhalation with mouth in shape of “hah” kah – hard k with exhalation with mouth also in shape of “hah” t – t (breathy, though), as though saying “tip” tah – t plus “hah” harshly exhaled k – k (also breathy), as though saying “kitten” rrr – good ol’ tongue roll – rather harsh If the performer is soft-spoken, or otherwise nonplussed about making vocal noises, please reinforce with a dynamic-type mic at close range or a (hyper)cardioid lavalier at 30-40% gain. In general, though, particularly with “k” and “t” against bongos or woodblock, the voice will likely be underbalanced, and that’s probably okay and half the fun.

Composed in Nebraska City, NE, January 2016.

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Percussion: o Wood block (higher pitch preferred) o Bongos (lo and hi) o Voice (no pitches necessary) o Sticks (good strong snare ones)

skitter

Thomas J. Dempster

for solo percussionist Voice (unpitched) Sticks Wood Block Bongo - Hi Bongo - Lo

5

(Vox.)

Perc.

8

(Vox.)

Perc.

4 4

·

4 œœœœœ î ã 4 œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ f F Ä Î

·

4 4

ssa

Ï

2 4

·

j

3 4 3 4

4 4

·

4 4

·

ssa ssa ^ ^ Ï Î Ï î Î Ï^ ä î · J J f J 4 œœ œœ œœ œœ ã 4 œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ œœœœ œœœœä œœ œ œœœœœœœœœœ > > > > F >

(Vox.)

ssa

3 ssa 4 î kah ^ Ï ä Î Î 4 J 4 p ÏJ^ ä Î

3 œœ Î 4 îPœ œ œ ã 4 œ œ¾ 4 ˙ ˙ ¾ ¾ p

"rub" -- see performance notes

16

(Vox.)

Perc.

4 · 4 >x x >x x >x x > > 2 x x x 4 4 4 3 3 3 p Ä

·

Ï ä î Ä J 4 œœœœœ î ã4 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ f Ä

11

Perc.

4 4

Driving, Reckless q = 132+

ã

ú

Ïä. Î R ·

Î œœœ î ˙ ˙ ¾ ¾

·

5 5. Š䜜œ Î J ¾ ¾J p P sides of woodblock

·

·

œœ

3 4

ä Ï Ï J ê 3 3 Î œ œ œ Î œ œ œ œ œ ä Î ä ^j Î ˙ ˙ ˙ œœ œ œ ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ ·

œ œœœ œœœ Î 3 Ä

Copyright © 2016 Thomas J. Dempster

î

3 4

tah

·

xxœœ ä 5J 5 . ä ä ¾ ¾ f F5

2

Ïä Î Ï ä Î ä ÏÎ Î Ï ä J J J J f sempre 3 3 x x œ œœœ x œ œ œ Åœ œ Å œ ãä œ x œ œ ¾ Rim 3 ê f

20

(Vox.)

Perc.

skitter K

T

(Vox.)

2 4

·

Perc.

2 ã4

·

24

Perc.

32

(Vox.)

Perc.

K K T K T K T K ä Ï ä Î Ï ä Ï ä Î Ï Ï Ï Ï Ï 24 J 3

3

3

œ œ œ ä j ¾ ¾œ¾ ¾œ¾ ¾œ¾ ¾ ¾œ¾ 2 ¾ ¾ ¾ ¾ œ œ x œœ œ œ œœ 4 œ œ Rim 3 Ä 5

5

ssa 5 ä ÏK ÏT ÏK ÏT ÏK ÏT ÏK ÏT ÏK > ä Ï Ï · 4 J ÄJ F > > > > >œ œ œ œ œ 4 5 x x x x x x x xJ ä î 4 œœœœœœœœœœœœœœœœ 4 J > > > > > 3 3 f F3 Ä

4 î 4

î

K

î

ãä

T

4 4

ä Ï^ ä Ä J 3 > 4 œ ã 4 œœœœœœœœJ ä Î > > > f

28

(Vox.)

K

·

"rub"

Nebraska City, NE Jan. 2016

·

4 4

·

4 4

P > 3 j Î œ œ œ Î œ œ œ œ œ 43 œ œ œ Å œ œ œ œ œ 44 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ˙ ˙ ˙ œ >>>>>>> ¾ ¾ ¾. ¾R p Ä

ú ¾ fZ ˙¾ rrr

œ¾. fZ

3 4

4 4

ú. ¾ ˙¾.

n.

n.

Î Î