Who is the Chairman? (Percussion Quartet)

Who is the Chairman? is a groovy, theatrical quartet placing percussionists on and around four wooden chairs. Each player is required to play on the chair’s legs, seat, and back, plus the soles of their shoes with snare drum sticks, timbale sticks, and rolled-up magazines. Throughout the piece, they move to different chairs and are even asked to sit reading magazines.

Genre: Percussion Ensemble | # of Players: 4
Level: Intermediate | Duration: 7:05

Instrumentation
Score (8.5"x11" stapled booklet)
4 Wooden Chairs*
1 Splash Cymbal (10”, next to Chair II)
1 Bulb Horn (next to Chair I)
1 Slapstick (next to Chair IV)
Soles of Shoes

*The seats of the chairs should be made of one piece of wood. The seats & backs should not be cushioned.

Striking Implements
Snare Drum Sticks (4 pairs, not too light)
Timbale Sticks (1 pair, next to Chair III)
6 Magazines (4 rolled up and 2 for reading, next to Chairs II & III)

Program Notes
Who is the Chairman? (formerly Die Sitzgruppe) is a groovy, theatrical quartet placing percussionists on and around four wooden chairs. Each player is required to play on the chair’s legs, seat, and back, plus the soles of their shoes with snare drum sticks, timbale sticks, and rolled-up magazines. Throughout the piece, they move to different chairs and are even asked to sit reading magazines.

Since each player moves to different stations, two sets of parts are included — one for individual practice and one for performance (to be placed on the floor at each Chair station).

If desired, it is possible to double each player and to perform the piece as an octet.