Thicket - Adam Silverman [DIGITAL SET]

Thicket is an immersive exploration of density, rhythmic interference, and the blurred lines between resonance and attack. The ensemble is designed with a specific symmetry—two vibraphones and two marimbas—yet the natural clarity of these mallet instruments is intentionally obscured. The title evokes a tangled space where individual branches become indistinguishable from the collective mass. This botanical complexity overlays relentless perpetual motion, with a driving pulse from the opening to the end.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 4
Series: The Vanguard Series
Level: Medium Advanced | Duration: 8:45

Instrumentation
Score (9"x12" spiral bound)
Player 1: Vibraphone, Cymbal Stack (or similar)
Player 2: Marimba (4-octave), Small Bass Drum, Cymbal Stack (or similar), Sandblocks (or Cabasa)
Player 3: Vibraphone, Cymbal Stack (or similar)
Player 4: Marimba (5-octave), Cymbal Stack (or similar)

Program Notes
Composed in 2025 for the University of Delaware Graduate Percussion Group, Thicket is an immersive exploration of density, rhythmic interference, and the blurred lines between resonance and attack. The ensemble is designed with a specific symmetry—two vibraphones and two marimbas—yet the natural clarity of these mallet instruments is intentionally obscured. By integrating small cymbals into each player's setup, a metallic “edge” is added to the wooden and aluminum bars, transforming the quartet into a single mechanism of sound. A small bass drum is added to add bulk to the racket and accentuate grooves that progress through dizzying changes of meter.

The title evokes a tangled space where individual branches become indistinguishable from the collective mass. This botanical complexity overlays relentless perpetual motion, with a driving pulse from the opening to the end. Within this framework, each performer navigates repeating figures that overlap to create a vast web of sound. As these loops collide, the composite rhythm becomes far more intricate than any individual part, giving rise to aural illusions—ghost melodies and phantom accents that emerge naturally from the vibrating texture. Rather than following a traditional narrative of tension and release, Thicket invites the listener to lean into the friction of the ensemble, finding beauty in the chaotic and vibrating energy of a sonic forest that is constantly, restlessly in motion.

This music is dedicated with gratitude to its commissioners: the 2025 incarnation of The University of Delaware Graduate Percussion Group (Jacob Fullinwider, William Irish, Nathan Jackman, and Keegan Vaughan) and their eminent directors, Gene Koshinski and Tim Broscious.

University of Delaware Percussion Group