Silent Canyons

Silent Canyons was inspired of by the story of the Ancestral Pueblo Peoples or Anasazi (a Navajo word meaning “ancient ones” or “ancient enemies”) and their disappearance from the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States in the 13th century. It seeks to follow this evolution of a civilization being built in these previously uninhabited caves, the conflicts that arose with other peoples, the disappearance of the people, and returning to the emptiness of the canyons.

Program Notes

Silent Canyons was commissioned by the Fort Lewis College Percussion Ensemble, directed by Jonathan Latta. The piece was inspired of by the story of the Ancestral Pueblo Peoples or Anasazi (a Navajo word meaning “ancient ones” or “ancient enemies”) and their disappearance from the Four Corners region of the southwestern United States in the 13th century. Because of the negative connotations of the word Anasazi, the Hopi people use the word Hisatsinom instead. They are known for their intricate cliff dwellings that were left preserved after they mysteriously disappeared. Silent Canyons seeks to follow this evolution of a civilization being built in these previously uninhabited caves, the conflicts that arose with other peoples, the disappearance of the people, and returning to the emptiness of the canyons.

Grade Level: 4
Copyright: 2014
Number of Players: 5
Duration: 6:50
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Type: Quintet
Category: Percussion

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Instrumentation

Percussion 1 (bells, 2 woodblocks, 2 congas, bongos, rainstick)
Percussion 2 (2-oct crotales, 4 log drum pitches, 4 concert toms)
Percussion 3 (vibraphone, temple blocks, sizzle cymbal, China cymbal)
Percussion 4 (4.3-octave marimba, djembe)
Percussion 5 (concert bass drum, large tam-tam)