Houston Strokes

A challenging 4-movement work containing fast and fiery outer movements, a reflective and lyric second movement, and a third movement that is a gentle nocturne. In all the movements, the emphasis is on the keyboard percussion instruments.

Program Notes

Houston Strokes was commissioned by the Percussion Ensemble of the Moores School of Music of the University of Houston, Blake Wilkins, director. The result was a challenging 4-movement work containing fast and fiery outer movements, a reflective and lyric second movement, and a third movement that is a gentle nocturne. In all the movements, the emphasis is on the keyboard percussion instruments.

Grade Level: 4
Copyright: 2004
Number of Players: 12
Duration: 14:00
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Category: Percussion

Listen to Recordings

Instrumentation

Percussion 1 (orchestra bells, crotales [upper octave], soprano steel pan, 3 suspended cymbals, 2 congas)
Percussion 2 (xylophone, 2 small triangles, orchestra bells)
Percussion 3 (xylophone, sandpaper blocks)
Percussion 4 (3-octave vibraphone)
Percussion 5 (3-octave vibraphone)
Percussion 6 (4-octave marimba, triangle, suspended cymbal)
Percussion 7 (4-octave marimba, triangle)
Percussion 8 (4-octave marimba, China cymbal, triangle)
Percussion 9 (4.5-octave marimba, sizzle cymbal, triangle)
Percussion 10 (5-octave marimba, 2 prayer stones, triangle)
Percussion 11 (4 concert toms, triangle, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, rainstick, 2-octave crotales, chimes, bongos)
Percussion 12 (5 timpani, 2 djembes, suspended cymbal)