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To Live and Die in the Wild - Stephen Karukas [DIGITAL]
Genre: Solo Multiple Percussion
# of Players: 1
Level: Medium Difficult | Duration: 9:40
Publisher: C. Alan Publications | Copyright: 2020
Download mp3 | Click on images to left for score sample
Rating:
Price:
$20.00
Item #:
27500D
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Notes & Instrumentation
Designed to evoke images of primitive life, To Live and Die in the Wild utilizes a range of sounds, including intense ritual drumming, intricate polyrhythmic cells, and weeping, howling effects made possible by fading between different drums and rolling on the very edge of the bass drum. Each section of the piece represents a different terror that could mean life or death for a creature without shelter.
Genre: Solo Multiple Percussion | # of Players: 1
Level: Medium Difficult | Duration: 9:40
Instrumentation
Kick Drum
Small Concert Bass Drum (tuned high)
2 Concert Toms (low & medium)
Snare Drum
Bongos (tuned high)
Brake Drum (pitched "D" if possible)
Sizzle Cymbal (20" or larger)
Program Notes
Designed to evoke images of primitive life, To Live and Die in the Wild utilizes a range of sounds, including intense ritual drumming, intricate polyrhythmic cells, and weeping, howling effects made possible by fading between different drums and rolling on the very edge of the bass drum. It explores many timbres possible on drums, such as playing on different locations on the head and rim and covering the drumheads with cloth. Each section of the piece represents a different terror that could mean life or death for a creature without shelter. They all share a grounding timbre, the combination of sizzle cymbal and bass drum, representing the heavy Earth to which all animals are destined to return. -
Video
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"To Live and Die in the Wild" for multipercussion solo
"To Live and Die in the Wild" for multipercussion solo by Stephen Karukas Thunder (0:07) Tremor (3:00) Fire (5:15) Fate (8:09) Performed by Stephen Karukas Recorded in Auer Hall at the IU Jacobs School of Music https://www.facebook.com/skarukas/ https://soundcloud.com/stephenkarukas stephen.karukas@gmail.com
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Product Reviews
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Percussive Notes New Literature Review
Written in four continuously performed movements, “To Live and Die in the Wild” is a 10-minute multiple-percussion solo. Performers may rearrange the movements and perform them in any desired order. The sound sources evoke primal imagery, with a collection of drums being paired with two metallic sounds. The setup is simple and accessible, using instruments commonly found in most high school or university programs. Each movement is associated with and titled after a different external force: “Thunder,” “Tremor,” “Fire” and “Fate.” Most movements utilize gestural figures to a significant degree, and all movements contain at least one virtuosic moment.
The piece requires strong technical ability from the performer. It is often dense, and so clarity of sound sources and phrasing are absolutely necessary for this piece to communicate on a first listen. The kick drum is used frequently, requiring strong coordination between the foot and hands. While all four movements require a mature approach and strong technical skills, the third movement, “Fire,” is the most consistently virtuosic. Pairing this movement with one of the others (particularly “Tremor” or “Fate”) would work well for a graduate-level audition. It would be interesting to explore this piece with different permutations of the movement order, and performers are encouraged by the composer to do so. Performers looking for a multiple-percussion solo with a fairly accessible setup, a variety of techniques, and a strong programmatic association would do well to consider “To Live and Die in the Wild.”
Jamie Wind Whitmarsh
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 6, December 2021 Jamie Wind Whitmarsh on Jul 6th 2022
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