Roots

for percussion duet

JUDGE’S PICK - 2020 Percussive Arts Society Composition Contest

Commissioned by: Jeff Upshaw and Paige DeDecker

Work completed: December 2019

Duration: 9'

Difficulty: Very advanced

This work is undergoing revisions. Contact me if you wish to be informed upon its release.

Roots came about through a collaboration with two incredible percussionists: Jeff Upshaw, a friend I’ve performed with and known for years, and Paige DeDecker, whom I had the great pleasure of getting to know through this process. Whereas most of my works to date have been largely programmatic, the mix of individuals involved with this project drove me to search for a different form of inspiration. Whilst seeking things the three of us had in common and the musical threads this could invoke, this seedling of a concept entered my mind:

Roots, as a title, inspires the work in two primary ways. Firstly, the roots found on vegetation inform the way the work unfurls over time. Motivic fragments sneak and slither around, unsteady, looking for a place to take hold. Eventually, they take a more concrete form before finally overtaking, out of control. Suddenly, the second half of the work takes a gentler, more sensitive look at this image: the same roots are now imagined organically and peacefully nurturing the listening space, timeless and free of anchor.

The metaphysical sense of the word “roots” takes equal importance: our backgrounds as humans, as musicians; the experiences which make us who we are. Jeff, Paige, and I all share a common experience: our former participation as percussionists within the marching arts activity. The groovy, complex rhythms and brilliant range of textures associated with that medium heavily influence the work. Certain melodic and rhythmic fragments running throughout are sparsely derived from simple tunes within that community which hold significant meaning with the three of us.