Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Work Overview

TO SING takes resonance, timbre and spatial distribution of sound as its starting point for a multi-movement work that is both orchestral in scope and conceptual in design. Each tableau presents a unique sonic offering ranging from micro-tonal resonant metal melodic figures through to gestural snare drum canons.

The 12 players begin by approaching the performance circle, slowly sounding the performance space before encircling the audience in a wave of a snare-drum melodic haze.

The instruments of the performers are organised so that different pitch and resonance centres constantly emerge and move, each performer being part of a sounding body orchestrating the resonant and spatially arranged sounds of metal, wood and skin into song.

To Sing is described in the score as a 6 tableaus for 12 roving percussionists.

Whilst the sounds of the percussion resonate in closely choreographed patterns throughout the space during the piece, the percussionists also actually physically rove in the closing tableau moving out of the performance space, their sounds slowly disappearing as they move away.

Work Details

Year: 2021

Instrumentation: 12 percussion (12 snare drum and sticks (12 players) 12 suspended cymbals + sticks, 2 large tympani, 2 bass drums, 8 skin drums, 2 large tam Ttam, 2 superball sticks, 2 cups, 2 triangle sticks, 6 gongs, 6 water basins, 4 x 2 chinese hand cymbals, 4 x 2 singing bowls, 4 heavy metal coils hanging, 4 heavy waste metal objects like brake drums/anvil - diffe- ring sounds, 12 triangles, 12 x 2 tubes, 6 frog buzzers, rattles, 12 bows, wind whistle, 12 sound olives, various beaters).

Duration: 20 min.

Difficulty: Advanced

Commission note: Commissioned by Speak Percussion.. Commissioned by Speak Percussion with the support of Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

First performance: by Speak Percussion — 15 Jun 23. Presented as part of Speak Percussion's "Sonic Eclipse" programme, Melbourne Recital Centre