Percussion Ensemble

Written for the University of North Texas Percussion Ensemble, a space for everything is a slow burn with innovative textures that evolve throughout the 9-minute work, building into an infectious groove that never relents...

Scored for 14-16 percussionists, A World in Us is a celebration of enduring friendship. The exciting 5-1/2 minute work takes its title from the following quote from The Diary of Anaïs Nin: “Each friend represents...

The title All That is Left is a play on the "Litany Against Fear" from Frank Herbert’s novel, Dune. “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face...

Atmos is a balanced keyboard percussion quartet for 2 vibraphone and 2 marimbas. Defined as a gaseous envelope surrounding a celestial body, Clayson envisioned images of constellations and galaxies as he was composing the...

Inspired by a funny online comment from a student insisting his instructor had a 10-octave marimba, Attack of the 10-Octave Marimba plays out like a 1950s "B" horror movie, with the vision of a gigantic marimba arising out...

Be That of the Wind is a piece for woodwind quintet and 8 percussionists that draws inspiration from the four tenets outlines in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War: Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your gentleness that of...

No matter what stands in your way, to overcome you must be willing to bend, but never break. Bend is a marimba quartet that explores a variety of styles and syncopations while never requiring the use of 4-mallets.Genre:...

Blossoms is a powerful work for percussion orchestra that was inspired by the natural process of growth and transformation, yet it does not attempt to depict a specific narrative. Instead, the piece reflects a universal...

A Bomba is a secular, recreational style of music originating from Puerto Rico. It is characterized by a challenge or connection between the drummer and dancer, like a “call and response.” The dancer produces a...

The Cat’s Pajamas was a slang phrase popularized by “flappers” of the Roaring 1920’s. This phrase was used to describe something that young people thought was “great” or “fun.”...

Combination Lock is a marimba quartet with multi-drum accompaniment that is very rhythmic and minimalist in nature. It features ostinatos throughout and moments of heavy back beats. Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players:...

D.N.R., or “Do Not Resuscitate” is a legally recognized order signed by a physician at a patient’s request. A D.N.R. means the patient does not want to be resuscitated if they suddenly go into cardiac...

The title Demon Poetry is pulled from an account of the way fire moves: "Fire has got a certain genius... a certain demon poetry." This piece is a product of the realization that one can write whatever they want – and...

Across both rural highways and urban intersections, handmade memorials appear: white crosses, wilted flowers, photographs behind glass. My inspiration among these is ghost bikes, bicycles painted entirely white and chained...

A descant is a melody played above another basic melody. Descant begins as a quiet, mysterious march. The sounds of a far away street beat are heard as a descant to the basic musical events occurring. The music grows in...

Door County Summers is a large percussion ensemble work that evokes the composers memories of time spent at the Birch Creek Music Performance Center in Egg Harbor, WI. The work has multiple opportunities to feature...