Quartets That Travel (13 portable percussion quartets)

Quartets that Travel is a collection of 13 short quartets for small auxiliary percussion, perfect for performances where large equipment is not ideal, transitions between set changes, or for ensembles with limited instrumentation. The set progresses from basic techniques through more advanced articulations and structure, giving players the opportunity to detail those techniques and focus on producing appropriate sounds and approach to each instrument.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 4
Series: N/A
Level: Medium Easy to Intermediate | Duration: 28:30

Instrumentation
Kalimba (may substitute Kalimba app or Bells)
Finger Cymbals
4 Triangles
Sleigh Bells
Tambourine
Claves
Castanets
Cabasa
4 Eggs Shakers
Any Hand Drum

Program Notes
Each summer, my husband and I drive across the country with our children, visiting national parks and spending all our time outdoors. I often think of how great it would be to play music amidst these incredible landscapes, but loading a marimba or drumset into the car isn’t always practical. Quartets that Travel is a collection of 13 short quartets for small auxiliary percussion where all instruments can be carried in one trip, and no sticks or mallets are required (unless substituting bells for kalimba). The sequence of this set progresses from basic techniques through more advanced articulations and structure.

Instruments in this collection have been chosen for the sake of timbre and accessibility, and do not necessarily follow the traditional implementations characteristic of their cultural or regional genres. For example, claves are not confined to a clave pattern, and “hand drum” encompasses any drum that produces bass-open-slap, which may result in unconventional pairings.

- J.F.