Kyoto (percussion quintet)

for Percussion Quintet

Overview

Kyoto, premiered by the Ju Percussion Group in Taiwan City on May 20, 2011, was commissioned by the group for the Taipei International Percussion Convention. Departing from my earlier intense and physically demanding percussion compositions, such as Drum Dances and Etude from One Study One Summary, Kyoto shares stylistic similarities with his marimba concerto Djinn. The piece maintains a constant rhythmic semiquaver pulse that drives the momentum, transitioning through varying time signatures and punctuated by moments of silence that give rise to shifts in harmonic content. Two contrasting ideas, rhythmically driven melodic lines and vibraphone arpeggios, alternate before converging in a climactic moment. The title of the work is inspired by a 1976 improvisation by pianist Keith Jarrett recorded in Kyoto, which served as a transformative catalyst for my journey as a composer.

Full Instrumentation

Players 1&2: 5 octave marimba (shared), or 2 marimbas

Player 3: vibraphone

Player 4: toms, suspended cymbal, triangle

Player. 5: vibraphone, glockenspiel, triangle

Performance Notes

  • Notes with a cross centred on the stem indicates a deadstroke.
  • Pedaling, where marked, should be followed explicitly to ensure all notes are held as specified by the laissez vibrer (l.v.) markings.
  • Solo and non solo markings throughout emphasise which instrument or phrase is predominant.

Percussion 1: Vibraphone 1 (soloist role and should be positioned centrally)

Percussion 2: Vibraphone 2, Glockenspiel and Triangle

  • Both vibraphones require foot switches for operating the motor.
  • The glockenspiel sounds two octaves higher than written.

Percussion 3 & 4: Marimba (5-octave) shared between the two players.

  • The marimba parts are designed to be performed on a single 5-octave marimba which is to be shared between two players. It is also possible to perform this work on two separate instruments. The Performance Set (PE174P) includes a combined part containing the marimba grand staff and two individual parts to accommodate both performance options.
  • In Marimba Player 2 mm.33-40, the p markings only apply to the notes they are directly below.
  • Marimba Player 2 requires a bow for the arco section mm.123-141. Two mallets are to be held in the left hand at this point to facilitate the playing of mm.139-140 where a lateral roll is required concurrently with a bowed note.

Percussion 5: 3 Tom-toms, Splash Cymbal, Triangle

Key Details:
Difficulty:
Advanced
Premiered:
2011
Duration:
8:00

Commissioner: Ju Percussion Group

Instrumentation: Vib, Vib/Gloc/Tri, Mar, Toms/Spash/Tri

Premiered by Ju Percussion Group on May 20, 2011 at the Taiwan City, Taiwan (R.O.C)

Marimba, Vibraphone, Concert Toms, Splash Cymbal, Triangle, Glockenspiel

Instruments:
Marimba
Vibraphone
Concert Toms
Splash Cymbal
Triangle
Glockenspiel
Mallet Percussion
Percussion
Mixed Percussion

Listen Now

Listen Now

Videos

Kyoto by John Psathas
Kyoto by John Psathas: Svet Stoyanov

Purchase this piece

Kyoto: Player 1 (practice materials)

Purchase
Price:
NZ$ 40.00 NZD
Type:
Digital
This product provides mp3 practice and click tracks tailored to assist Player 1 with preparing their part. The digital download includes a set of reference tracks featuring the rest of the ensemble and accompanying click tracks at a total of 12 different tempi ranging from 64 to 121bpm. PLEASE NOTE: This download does not include the sheet music of the solo part or the score. Both are available from https://prometheaneditions.com/php/WorkDetail.php?WorkID=446

Kyoto: Player 2 (practice materials)

Purchase
Price:
NZ$ 40.00 NZD
Type:
Digital
This product provides mp3 practice and click tracks tailored to assist Player 2 with preparing their part. The digital download includes a set of reference tracks featuring the rest of the ensemble and accompanying click tracks at a total of 12 different tempi ranging from 64 to 121bpm. PLEASE NOTE: This download does not include the sheet music of the solo part or the score. Both are available from https://prometheaneditions.com/php/WorkDetail.php?WorkID=446

Kyoto: Player 3 (practice materials)

Purchase
Price:
NZ$ 40.00 NZD
Type:
Digital
This product provides mp3 practice and click tracks tailored to assist Player 3 with preparing their part. The digital download includes a set of reference tracks featuring the rest of the ensemble and accompanying click tracks at a total of 12 different tempi ranging from 64 to 121bpm. PLEASE NOTE: This download does not include the sheet music of the solo part or the score. Both are available from https://prometheaneditions.com/php/WorkDetail.php?WorkID=446

Kyoto: Player 4 (practice materials)

Purchase
Price:
NZ$ 40.00 NZD
Type:
Digital
This product provides mp3 practice and click tracks tailored to assist Player 4 with preparing their part. The digital download includes a set of reference tracks featuring the rest of the ensemble and accompanying click tracks at a total of 12 different tempi ranging from 64 to 121bpm. PLEASE NOTE: This download does not include the sheet music of the solo part or the score. Both are available from https://prometheaneditions.com/php/WorkDetail.php?WorkID=446

Kyoto: Player 5 (practice materials)

Purchase
Price:
NZ$ 40.00 NZD
Type:
Digital
This product provides mp3 practice and click tracks tailored to assist Player 5 with preparing their part. The digital download includes a set of reference tracks featuring the rest of the ensemble and accompanying click tracks at a total of 12 different tempi ranging from 64 to 121bpm. PLEASE NOTE: This download does not include the sheet music of the solo part or the score. Both are available from https://prometheaneditions.com/php/WorkDetail.php?WorkID=446

Kyoto: Percussion Quintet (Elemental Culture's Video)

Purchase
Price:
NZ$ 2.99 NZD
Type:
Digital
Kyoto HD Video and Audio from Elemental Culture offers a high-definition audiovisual experience, bringing the essence of Kyoto to life (purchasable via Vimeo). This digital product is categorized as a Performance Video.