PLAY!
PLAY! Concerto For Percussion Quartet, Vocalist & Orchestra (2023) | Duration: 23 Minutes
Play – a word of boundless meanings. For some, it offers an escape from life’s stresses, fostering creativity and imagination. Musicians play instruments, actors perform, and athletes compete. Yet, darker shades exist, like a child toying with fire or a devious mind playing psychological games. Fascinated by this word’s depth, I began a sonic exploration with the captivating Third Coast Percussion quartet. Together, we present PLAY! – a concerto in three movements for a percussion quartet, amplified vocalist, and orchestra.
In”Tick, tock, scrape, pinch, blow, hit, splash, rip,” we celebrate embracing unique visions that lead to magical encounters with kindred spirits. The movement includes narration, theatrical elements, sound effects, and foley. The second movement, “The Hour,” marks a journey of self-discovery, urging us to embrace inner brilliance and shine in the world. The final movement is an exciting virtuosic interplay between the soloists and the orchestra.
Play has always meant exploring new worlds and finding awe in the little things. As an artist, I seek connections through playful art, transcending differences, and worries, uniting us in a harmonious symphony of life.
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Instrumentation
2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets in B♭, 2 Bassoons
4 Horns in F, 2 Trumpets in C, 2 Trombones, Tuba
Timpani
Orchestra Percussion (1 player): Triangle, Suspended & Sizzle Cymbal, Large Bass Drum, Large Tam-tam
Strings
Percussion Quartet (Third Coast Percussion):
Player 1: 5-oct. Marimba (shared), Glockenspiel (shared), Lion’s Roar, Bongos + full trap table
Player 2: 5-oct. Marimba (shared), Glockenspiel (shared) + full trap table
Player 3: Vibraphone (shared), Glockenspiel (shared), Low Tom (shared), Cajón, Sun Drum + trap table incl. Giant Gift Rubber Chicken
Solo Vocalist (amplified): Clarice Assad — with TC Helicon VOICE LIVE TOUCH 2 harmonizer pedal
Performance History
Oct 30, 2023 — World Premiere of PLAY ! Santa Rosa Symphony
2024
Mar 8, 2024 — PLAY ! Concerto for vocalist, percussion quartet and Orchestra with the Wheeling Symphony
Jul 8, 2024 — PLAY ! Concerto for vocalist, percussion quartet and orchestra with Third Coast Percussion | Grand Teton Music Festival
2025
Nov 8, 2025 — PLAY ! With the Allentown Symphony and Third Coast Percussion, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown, PA
Nov 9, 2025 — PLAY ! With the Allentown Symphony and Third Coast Percussion, Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown, PA
2027
Jun 4, 2027 — Henderson Symphony — PLAY! | Henderson, NV (upcoming)