TetraCurrent (percussion ensemble 9)

Originally stemming from an ad lib session during a break in a recording session, TetraCurrent was first written for marimba quartet. Chad Floyd has expanded the piece into a grooving 9-player ensemble, including drum set.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 9
Series:
Level: Medium | Duration: 4:35

Instrumentation
Bells
Vibraphone 1
Vibraphone 2
Marimba 1 (4-octave)*
Marimba 2 (4-octave)
Marimba 3 (4.3-octave)
Marimba 4 (5-octave)*
Timpani (4 drums) + Ride Cymbal
Drum Set *Marimbas 1 & 4 may share one 5-octave instrument

Program Notes
The inspiration for TetraCurrent stemmed from an ad lib session during a break in a recording session. The first idea the composer explored for this piece was the use of the tone clusters as a recurring accompanying rhythmic figure. The melodic ideas were then constructed over this idea and developed from there. The original marimba quartet version of TetraCurrent was premiered by the Ballard High School Percussion Ensemble (Louisville, KY), under the direction of Jay Matheney and Kevin Luken in the fall of 2015. This expanded version for 9 percussionists was created by the composer in 2020.