Peter Naughton is at it again. His second piece for percussion ensemble has just been published and is available for purchase through Tapspace, the go-to for all creative percussionists. In his own words:
“When writing Waiting to Exhale, I tried to convey a sense of constant motion and excitement for the listener. I drew inspiration from the Dave Matthews Band, attempting to capture their intense energy and subtle yet distinct harmonic sensibilities. With its relentless 16th note motor, this piece relies heavily on interlocking rhythmic cells to create a larger, composite rhythm.
Originally written in 2017 for a small jazz combo consisting of vibraphone, steel pan, marimba, upright bass, and drum set, I felt there was a lack of rhythmic and timbral clarity among the instruments. In early 2019, I re-orchestrated the piece for marimba quartet, resulting in tighter rhythmic precision and a homogenous color.”
To directors of high school and college-level bands…it’s never too early to start planning ahead for your fall percussion ensemble concerts. Consider introducing this piece to your advanced musicians. They’ll love it and your audiences will be enthralled. I guarantee!
Oh and if you’re wondering why this is Part II, check out Naughton’s first piece, Two Rivers, also available through Tapspace.
Check them out now at:
https://www.tapspace.com/percussion-ensemble/waiting-to-exhale
Back in 1967, a little movie came out in late December. It starred some guy named Dustin. Maybe you’ve heard of it…just a little movie called THE GRADUATE. There’s a particular scene from that movie that keeps coming to my mind. Remember Benjamin’s graduation party? Where his parents’ friends pressure him for answers about his plans for the future? To some people, this scene may seem a little unrealistic. I mean OBVIOUSLY people don’t really act that way towards college students. However, that scene is actually kind of relatable for me. I like to think that I understand Benjamin’s frustration. The questions they’re asking him are just less blatant ways of saying, “Explain yourself!”
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So, last night, for some reason, I was feeling a bit wistful. I’m not sure what brought it on, but I started thinking about when my kids were little and the songs I would sing to them. Now that I think about it, the whole episode was probably brought on when I heard an old song on the radio. It was Smile, by Nat King Cole. Lost in the song, I mentioned to my husband that, when our kids were little, I would sing those lyrics when they were feeling down. It’s a beautiful song and, of course, I know I didn’t come close to doing it justice. But, as I listened to the words, my eyes welled up a little. It was just a moment that came and went and was all but forgotten until a few hours later, when, out of the blue, I, again, began to think back to those days. Memories tend to cloud reality. Raising four kids had its moments of exasperation, to be sure. But, thankfully, God erases the frustration, impatience and noise level of those days leaving the warm and fuzzy memories to cuddle up with.
Life on a Box Wine Budget 