Concerto for Piano & Percussion Ensemble (solo + 8 players)

The three movements of Mathew Campbell's Concerto for Piano and Percussion Ensemble were influenced by the neoclassical music of Igor Stravinsky, the impressionistic style of Claude Debussy, and the whimsically serious music of György Ligeti. A true tour-de-force for the soloist, this impressive colorful work is perfect for featuring a guest artist on your next program!

Genre: Solo Piano with Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 8 + 1
Level: Medium Difficult | Duration: 25:00

Instrumentation
Solo Piano/Toy Piano

Player 1: Glockenspiel
Player 2: Xylophone, Crotales (high octave), Suspended Cymbal
Player 3: Vibraphone, Djembe, Suspended Cymbal
Player 4: Vibraphone, Djembe, Suspended Cymbal
Player 5: 20" Timpano, Low "F#" Crotale, Marimba (4.5-octave), Suspended Cymbal
Player 6: Marimba (4.3-octave), Snare Drum, Hi-Hat, 2 Large Toms
Player 7: Suspended Cymbal, Bongos, Kick Drum, Splash Cymbal, Chimes, Marimba (4.3-octave)
Player 8: 32" Timpano, Low "E" Crotale, Marimba (5-octave)

Program Notes
Concerto for Piano and Percussion Ensemble was composed for Dr. Jacob “Jake” Johnson and the Oklahoma City University Percussion Ensemble under the direction of Prof. Patrick Womack. Each of the three movements are composed with influence by the music of Igor Stravinsky, Claude Debussy, and György Ligeti, respectively. The opening motive musically spells out J-A-K-E. This motive and its transpositions encompasses the entire work to quite literally put the dedicatee’s name on it. Movement I, Allegro ritmico, consists of absolute music influenced by Stravinsky’s neoclassical period. Movement II, for Norman, uses the impressionist style to pay homage to a four-legged friend no-longer with us. Movement III, Scherzando furisoso, starts by quoting the opening of Ligeti’s Musica ricercata and uses influences from Ligeti’s music throughout to create a whimsically serious finale of tonal twelve-tone rows, toy piano cadenzas, and vexing repetitions.

This work is dedicated Dr. Jacob “Jake” Johnson.