Wandering Woods (Perc Ens 14 + Piano)

Written for 15 players, Wandering Woods draws inspiration from the eerie and immersive atmospheres of iconic fantasy landscapes, such as the Forbidden Forest from Harry Potter and the Lost Woods from The Legend of Zelda. This advanced-level work takes performers and audiences alike on a journey through an enchanted forest, guided by an ever-changing soundscape of mystery, tension, anxiety, and awe.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 14 + Piano
Level: Medium Advanced | Duration: 6:45

Instrumentation
Conductor's Score (8.5"x11" spiral bound)
Bells
Xylophone/Crotales (2 octaves)
Vibraphone 1
Vibraphone 2
Vibraphone 3
Chimes
Marimba 1 (4.5-octave)
Marimba 2 (4.5-octave)
Marimba 3 (5.0-octave), Garden Weasels
Marimba 4 (5.0-octave), Garden Weasels
Piano
5 Timpani
Percussion 1: Multi-Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Splash, China, and Suspended Cymbals, Tam-Tam, Triangle
Percussion 2: Shaker, Triangle, Bell Tree, Suspended/Ride Cymbal, Sleigh Bells, Mark Tree
Percussion 3: Sleigh Bells, Sizzle Cymbal, Mark Tree, Suspended Cymbal, Bell Tree, Tam-Tam

Program Notes
Wandering Woods was commissioned by Benji Baker and the Lebanon Trail High School Percussion Ensemble (Frisco, TX) for their 2024 Midwest Clinic performance. Written for 15 players, the work draws inspiration from the eerie and immersive atmospheres of iconic fantasy landscapes, such as the Forbidden Forest from Harry Potter and the Lost Woods from The Legend of Zelda.

The piece portrays the experience of entering, and ultimately losing oneself within an enchanted forest. Shifting rhythmic patterns and evolving textures blur a sense of direction, mirroring the disorientation of being lost among unfamiliar surroundings. Rather than relying on melody, "Wandering Woods" draws upon the unique color palette of the percussion ensemble as its primary motivic force. The instruments become the forest’s voice: glimmers of light, sudden bursts of energy, and moments of stillness weave together a landscape of mystery, tension, anxiety, and awe.