Turning Points

David Gillingham

General Info

Year of Published: 2026
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:08:45
Cost: Score and Parts - $0.00   |   Score Only - $0.00

Instrumentation

Player 1: Crotales
Player 2: Glockenspiel
Player 3: Xylophone
Player 4: Chimes
Player 5: Vibraphone 1
Player 6: Vibraphone 2
Player 7: Marimba 1
Player 8: Marimba 2
Player 9: 5 Timpani
Player 10: Mark Tree & Crash Cymbals & Bongos & Temple Blocks & Triangle
Player 11: Suspended Cymbal & Congas & 4 Concert Tom Toms & Floor Tom & Brake Drum
Player 12: Bass Drum & Hi Hat & Rain Stick & Ratchet

Program Notes

Turning Points was commissioned by the West Ottawa High School Percussion Ensemble, directed by Sue Gainforth. Sue was a former student at Central Michigan University and studied percussion with the late Robert Hohner whose percussion program and ensemble were known throughout the United States and abroad. After Sue graduated, she became an excellent music teacher, most notably as the Director of Percussion at West Ottawa High School in Holland, Michigan, for 20 years. Throughout her tenure, her students and ensembles have always been of the highest quality. Therefore, this piece is a tribute to her achievement.

The work is in three parts. Part 1, "Roots (Hohner)", gives homage to Sue's training at Central Michigan University under Robert Hohner. The section uses a theme which spells the name, ROBERT HOHNER. The letters which are not musical tones are derived from a rubric. The music is reminiscent of some of the classic percussion ensemble music often performed by the Hohner Percussion Ensemble at CMU. Part 2, "Aspiration", reflects Sue Gainforth"s hard work building the percussion program at West Ottawa High School. It is a set of variations on a rather somber theme. The variations become more intense and build in texture with a "tour de force" by the whole ensemble at the end. Part 3, "Achievement" is a celebration of Sue's 20 years of building a quintessential percussion program. The music is uplifting, tuneful, nostalgic, with a reminder of Robert Hohner's influence, and builds to an exciting ending.

Works for Percussion by this Composer

Solo

Dance of Redemption - Marimba

Concerto

Concertino (Gillingham) - Percussion Quartet; Wind Ensemble
Concerto for Percussion Ensemble (Gillingham) - Percussion Ensemble (13); Piano
Concerto No. 1 for Marimba (Gillingham)
Concerto No. 2 for Marimba (Gillingham)
Concerto for Piano and Percussion Orchestra - Percussion Ensemble

Small Ensemble

Angels of the Apocalypse - Percussion Octet
Gate to Heaven: Journey of the Soul - Marimba; Percussion Octet
Normandy Beach 1944 - Percussion Sextet
Point of Reckoning - Percussion Nonet
Sacrificial Rite - Percussion Quintet
Whirlwind - Percussion Octet

Large Ensemble

Babylon - 14 Players
Liturgical Music - 13 Players
Paschal Dances - 12 Players
Spencer Variants - 15 Players
Stained Glass - 12 Players
Turning Points - 12 Players

With Other Instruments

Five Fantasies of Natural Origin - Marimba; Flute
Quintessence (Gillingham) - Multiple Percussion; Brass Quintet; Wind Ensemble
Return to Innocence - Percussion Septet; Choir
Spiritual Dances - Percussion Quartet; Oboe (Clarinet)
Supercell - Percussion Ensemble; Alto Saxophone; Piano
Triplex - Percussion Sextet; Brass Ensemble