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The title of Patrick Speranza’s percussion ensemble piece In the Sky is taken from the famous lyric, “like a diamond in the sky” from the children’s song Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The use of metallic instruments throughout is meant to conjure the image of bright, shining stars.
Intended for middle school and high school ensembles, the parts are written at varying skill levels to involve players of differing experience, and requires a conservative instrumentation. If desired, the vibraphone and marimba parts, can be doubled to accommodate larger ensembles.
This piece was commissioned by Colby Snider for the Memphis Youth Percussion Collective.
In the Sky comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Glockenspiel
• Xylophone
• Vibraphone
• 2 marimbas—low A
• 4 timpani
• Drums (snare drum, 3 concert toms, bass drum)
• Cymbals & gongs (splash, hi-hat, crash cymbals, ride cymbal, 2 suspended cymbals)
• Accessories (woodblock, mark tree, triangle)
Patrick Speranza contributes a high-energy, effective, and pedagogically-sound piece to the repertoire with “In the Sky.” The work, scored for 10 players, is based around the lyrics “like a diamond in the sky.” It is intended for middle school or high school students and includes parts with varying levels of difficulty. This allows the parts to be as- signed to students with a wide range of abilities.
The keyboard parts are written with syncopations, rolls, and one spot of sixteenth-note “licks.” Every keyboard player has the melody at one point or another, and the vibraphone and Marimba 1 parts require four mallets. The battery parts are active, yet not too complex for younger players. The groove is kept by either the woodblock or cymbal player for much of the piece, which places responsibility on one of those players. There is a lot of value packed into two and a half minutes!
I would recommend “In the Sky” to its intended audience—a developing middle or high school ensemble looking for an exciting piece to perhaps open an ensemble concert or showcase the ensemble within a band concert.
—Justin Bunting
Percussive Notes
Vol. 58, No. 5, October 2020
The title of Patrick Speranza’s percussion ensemble piece In the Sky is taken from the famous lyric, “like a diamond in the sky” from the children’s song Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The use of metallic instruments throughout is meant to conjure the image of bright, shining stars.
Intended for middle school and high school ensembles, the parts are written at varying skill levels to involve players of differing experience, and requires a conservative instrumentation. If desired, the vibraphone and marimba parts, can be doubled to accommodate larger ensembles.
This piece was commissioned by Colby Snider for the Memphis Youth Percussion Collective.
In the Sky comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Glockenspiel
• Xylophone
• Vibraphone
• 2 marimbas—low A
• 4 timpani
• Drums (snare drum, 3 concert toms, bass drum)
• Cymbals & gongs (splash, hi-hat, crash cymbals, ride cymbal, 2 suspended cymbals)
• Accessories (woodblock, mark tree, triangle)
Patrick Speranza contributes a high-energy, effective, and pedagogically-sound piece to the repertoire with “In the Sky.” The work, scored for 10 players, is based around the lyrics “like a diamond in the sky.” It is intended for middle school or high school students and includes parts with varying levels of difficulty. This allows the parts to be as- signed to students with a wide range of abilities.
The keyboard parts are written with syncopations, rolls, and one spot of sixteenth-note “licks.” Every keyboard player has the melody at one point or another, and the vibraphone and Marimba 1 parts require four mallets. The battery parts are active, yet not too complex for younger players. The groove is kept by either the woodblock or cymbal player for much of the piece, which places responsibility on one of those players. There is a lot of value packed into two and a half minutes!
I would recommend “In the Sky” to its intended audience—a developing middle or high school ensemble looking for an exciting piece to perhaps open an ensemble concert or showcase the ensemble within a band concert.
—Justin Bunting
Percussive Notes
Vol. 58, No. 5, October 2020
