FAST TRACK “Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble”
FAST TRACK “Concerto for Percussion and Wind Ensemble,” is a project initiated by Professor Glen Adsit, Director of Bands at the University of Hartford’s, Hartt School, for Professor of Percussion, Benjamin Toth. The School is the lead commissioner of a consortium of participating universities and colleges from across the United States.
Percussion has long played a prominent role in my music, and I continue to be drawn to its boundless variety of colors and articulations that helps to fuel my musical imagination. Often, percussionists share a common skill set where improvisation is at the core of their performance arsenal. In addition, their unique sound universe frequently includes less common instruments found in many musical cultures from around the world.
FAST TRACK, is a Concerto where the soloist’s instrumental part is, at times specific, (such as the marimba or vibraphone) but at other times, the soloist has the option to include additional instruments to its percussion setup. This provides the soloist an opportunity to explore their improvisational and technical skills that help to shape the trajectory of the music. I applaud percussionist’s willingness to continually explore new performance techniques and musical perspectives that further enrich their ever-expanding performance world.