Gray Matter: 15 Progressive Solos for the Modern Timpanist

Gray Matter is a collection of 15 progressive compositions for solo timpani that range from intermediate to the cutting edge in their difficulty. The collection takes inspiration from a major theme across all 15 of the pieces: the way they engage the brain of the performer. “Gray Matter” is a scientific term that refers to a fundamental component of the human nervous system that helps us think, move, feel and remember. Five composers — Will Alderman, Lucas Garner, Reese Maultsby, Caleb Pickering, and Shane Roderick — each contributed 3 solos to the collection.

Genre: Timpani | # of Players: 1
Level: Intermediate to Advanced | Duration: Variable

Instrumentation
2-Drum Solos
Fresh Palms: 29" & 26"
Ostensibly Verified: 32" & 23"
Descending Depths: 32" & 23"
Gliss It Or Ticket: 29" & 26"
Sunder: 29" & 26"

3-Drum Solos
Passing By: 32", 29", 26"
The Nomad: 29", 26", 23"
Tightrope: 32", 29", 26"
Travels Without the Sun: 29", 26", 23"
Blood Feud: 32", 29", 26"

4-Drum Solos
Dissolvenza
Deep Rush Sonata
Weave
Hammer Down
What Are Th3 Odd5

Program Notes
Gray Matter is a collection of 15 progressive compositions for solo timpani that range from intermediate to the cutting edge in their difficulty. The collection takes inspiration from a major theme across all 15 of the pieces: the way they engage the brain of the performer. “Gray Matter” is a scientific term that refers to a fundamental component of the human nervous system that helps us think, move, feel and remember.

All of the solos in this collection are written with accessibility as a primary concern. Performers will be prepared for the collection with as few as two drums and one pair of mallets, while the music itself refrains from extended techniques or non-traditional playing areas such as striking the shell/bowl of the drum.

Within each section, each solo is progressively more challenging than the previous solo.