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Avalanche Lake by Patrick Speranza was inspired by a trip to Glacier National Park. Speranza was inspired by the views of the forest mountains that surround the park and the long waterfalls that he witnessed on a five-mile hike. The piece features a standard array of percussion instruments which can be found in most middle, and high school band rooms making it easily accessible to any music program. With upbeat ostinatos and catchy, light-heated melodic content, Avalanche Lake is a perfect compliment to any beginning percussion concert program!
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
* If 2 marimbas aren’t available, this piece can be performed with 1 instrument with M1 and M2 sharing a low A instrument.
This cheerful sounding, 2-minute work for beginning percussion ensemble offers many pedagogical benefits as well as being engaging for the audience. Inspired by a visit to the Glacier National Park in Montana, the piece begins with a brief section of quiet, slow-tempo reflection before launching into an energetic faster tempo that portrays a sense of excitement and joy. The writing cap- tures a distinct “movie music” or even drum corps-type sound that will be enjoyable for the students to perform.
The keyboard percussion parts take prominence throughout, with timpani and percussion instruments providing rhythmic reinforcement. All keyboard parts are written for two mallets, with most rhythms staying within quarter and eighth notes. Accessory parts are all intuitively written and do not require any advanced or extended techniques. Patrick Speranza’s orchestration for this level group is quite intelligent, as keyboard rhythms are often doubled in a non-melodic part, and there is always a solid quarter or eighth note rhythm somewhere in the scoring. This allows for a higher level of confidence for less experienced players, allowing the music to sound more difficult than it actually is!
In addition to its use on a beginning percussion ensemble concert, ‘’Avalanche Lake’’ would be ideal for an honor band festival or guest conducting experience. Parts can also be doubled, allowing for greater student participation or pairing younger and older students on a combined ensemble concert.
—Jason Baker
Percussive Notes
Vol. 57, No. 3, July 2019
Avalanche Lake by Patrick Speranza was inspired by a trip to Glacier National Park. Speranza was inspired by the views of the forest mountains that surround the park and the long waterfalls that he witnessed on a five-mile hike. The piece features a standard array of percussion instruments which can be found in most middle, and high school band rooms making it easily accessible to any music program. With upbeat ostinatos and catchy, light-heated melodic content, Avalanche Lake is a perfect compliment to any beginning percussion concert program!
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
* If 2 marimbas aren’t available, this piece can be performed with 1 instrument with M1 and M2 sharing a low A instrument.
This cheerful sounding, 2-minute work for beginning percussion ensemble offers many pedagogical benefits as well as being engaging for the audience. Inspired by a visit to the Glacier National Park in Montana, the piece begins with a brief section of quiet, slow-tempo reflection before launching into an energetic faster tempo that portrays a sense of excitement and joy. The writing cap- tures a distinct “movie music” or even drum corps-type sound that will be enjoyable for the students to perform.
The keyboard percussion parts take prominence throughout, with timpani and percussion instruments providing rhythmic reinforcement. All keyboard parts are written for two mallets, with most rhythms staying within quarter and eighth notes. Accessory parts are all intuitively written and do not require any advanced or extended techniques. Patrick Speranza’s orchestration for this level group is quite intelligent, as keyboard rhythms are often doubled in a non-melodic part, and there is always a solid quarter or eighth note rhythm somewhere in the scoring. This allows for a higher level of confidence for less experienced players, allowing the music to sound more difficult than it actually is!
In addition to its use on a beginning percussion ensemble concert, ‘’Avalanche Lake’’ would be ideal for an honor band festival or guest conducting experience. Parts can also be doubled, allowing for greater student participation or pairing younger and older students on a combined ensemble concert.
—Jason Baker
Percussive Notes
Vol. 57, No. 3, July 2019
