NORTHERN WORKSHOP
for percussion ensemble
Publisher: C. Alan Publications (2015)
Composed: 2015
Duration: 2’15”
Difficulty: Medium-Easy
Instrumentation (7-10 players): bells, xylophone, marimba, timpani (3), triangle, cabasa, floor tom, temple blocks (3), bongos, guiro, vibraslap, tambourine, cowbell
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Northern Workshop was commissioned by Roberto Paz and the Rhodes Junior High Percussion Ensemble and written for the C. Alan Publications Ignite Series which features entertaining, yet flexible pieces for middle school and junior high percussion ensembles. This piece explores a little toy making workshop in the far northern parts of the globe. The initial footsteps through the snow, a few timid knocks, and a ring of the bell … then the door opens to a joyful collection of assembly line sounds and song. Obviously toys for the whole world aren’t made in a day, so this ensemble piece is a great addition to concerts all year long! The scoring of this percussion ensemble is structured such that it may be played with as few as 7 players, while every part will be covered with 10 players and doubling a few parts could allow for even more performers.

As demonstrated in his compositional craftsmanship, Gottry permits interplay among the performers to create a greater sophistication in the overall ensemble effect than one might expect from an elementary percussion ensemble. – Jim Lambert
Printed by permission of the Percussive Arts Society, inc.