SOAR

INSTRUMENTATION

Percussion 1: Marimba (5.0)

Percussion 2: Marimba (5.0)

Percussion 3: Vibraphone, 2 Bows

Percussion 4: Snare Drum, Sand Blocks, Marimba (shared w/ perc. 1), Woodblocks (1 high, 1 low)

Percussion 5: Whip, Crotales, Glockenspiel, Marimba (shared w/ perc. 2)

Percussion 6: Splash Cymbal, China Cymbal, Suspended Cymbal (with sizzle attachment), High Tom, Low Tom, Mounted Kick Drum

Ever since I was a kid, I loved to fly. Riding in an airplane was the most amazing experience, and I would always rush to grab a window seat, if I could. I wanted to see the takeoff, the ascent into the sky, and the clouds and seas that passed by as we flew. SOAR reflects that love of flying and the experiences I had while on planes throughout my life. The introduction, meant to symbolize the takeoff, depicts the joy of first leaving the ground. The second section adds a hint of fear as after takeoff, there is typically some turbulence that follows. The third section is depicting the clouds swirling around the plane as we fly to our destination. And the ending, reminiscent of the beginning, illustrates the landing, and that joy of seeing the world reappear and grow closer. SOAR won the 2024 Phoenix Percussion Composition Competition and was premiered by the University of Delaware Percussion Ensemble, Gene Koshinski, Director