Common Times
Level: Medium-Advanced/Grade V Players: 11 Length: 3:28 State Lists: IN TX
Instrumentation: bells, vibraphone, chimes, xylophone, marimba, timpani, percussion[concert bass drum, snare drum, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, temple blocks, woodblocks (2), shaker]
$40
Program Notes:
Common Times was my first musical composition that was published. Some of my musical compositions can take a while to craft. However, Common Times was different. It came to me in a matter of one day.
The intent of the song was to show how percussionists in percussion ensembles are asked to play in unique time signatures. For most musicians, playing in 9/8, 7/8 etc is one musical selection can be uncommon. However for percussionists, having to play in those unique time signatures is very common, hence the name. I also wanted to give a nod to an instrument in the percussion family that often gets forgotten – the Bass Drum.
