DO NOT PRESS THIS BUTTON - Lucas Garner

DO NOT PRESS THIS BUTTON (intentionally capitalized) asks us to imagine an often used image of a giant red button with this written warning engraved into the face in bold white text. The natural human urge felt in response to this image is an inexplicable desire to press the button anyway, feeding into a trait many label as "reactance." This challenging work for solo drum set & mallet quartet was inspired by the drumming of J.D. Beck and his unconventional approach to the drum set using minimal instruments and a much lighter touch.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble + Solo Drum Set | # of Players: 5
Series:
Level: Medium Advanced | Duration: 7:45

Instrumentation
Score (8.5"x11" stapled booklet)
Vibraphone 1
Vibraphone 2
Marimba 1 (4.3-octave)
Marimba 2 (5.0-octave)
Drum Set: Kick Drum, Floor Tom, Snare Drum (with Splash Cymbal on the head), Ride Cymbal, Hi-Hat, Crash Cymbal

Program Notes
DO NOT PRESS THIS BUTTON (intentionally capitalized) asks us to imagine an often used image of a giant red button with a written warning reading "DO NOT PRESS THIS BUTTON" engraved into the face in bold white text. The natural human urge felt in response to this image is an inexplicable desire to press the button anyway, feeding into a trait many label as "reactance." In politics the word is more commonly referred to as "reactionary", where someone's belief system or core values are shaped primarily in reaction to the demands of their perceived political opposition.

The music of this piece is entirely conceived around the idea of reactance through the use of interrupted 12 tone rows, unconventional sounds, sudden musical interjections and crunchy harmonic textures. Additionally, I was inspired by the drumming of J.D. Beck and his unconventional approach to the drumset using minimal instruments and a much lighter touch. My nod to J.D. Beck also more directly presents itself in the use of a splash cymbal on the snare drum head of the drumset, one of his signature sounds.

– L.G.

Performed by the Lamar University Percussion Ensemble with Dr. Reese Maultsby, soloist