Nalu (Percussion Ensemble)
General Info
Year of Published: 2019
Publisher: C. Alan Publications
Difficulty: Advanced
Duration: 00:07:00
Cost: $50.00
Instrumentation
Player 1: Glockenspiel & Chimes
Player 2: Crotales & Xylophone
Player 3: Vibraphone 1
Player 4: Vibraphone 2 & Caxixi
Player 5: Marimba 1
Player 6: Marimba 2
Player 7: Marimba 3
Player 8: Marimba 4
Player 9: Marimba 5
Player 10: Timpani
Player 11: Suspended Cymbal & Rainstick & Mark Tree & 4 Concert Tom-toms & China Cymbal
Player 12: Sizzle Cymbal & Ocean Drum & Concert Bass Drum & Triangle & Suspended Cymbal
Player 13: Drumset / Djembe
Program Notes
In the Hawaiian language, the word Nalu stands for wave, in reference to those in the waters surrounding the islands of Hawaii. Through the use of counterpoint, syncopation, hocket, and hints of minimalist techniques, Nalu emulates the varying moods and textures of these ever-changing waves in the Pacific.
Though this work’s contrasting sections intend to portray the many states of the ocean’s waters, one notable memory from a trip in 2013 and my fascination for the beauty of nature shaped the beginning and ending of Nalu. Soon after arriving on the beach the first morning, a few grey clouds formed over the shore. With the sun shining brightly just above the horizon, the delicate trickles from the drizzle gently joined the faint wave breaks from the distance in a slow crescendo. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, an immense downpour and powerful gust overcame the coast, orchestrating a surge of sound from the ocean’s surface and the aggressive crashes on the shore. After a short while, the sun’s radiant rays seemed to dissolve the dark clouds within minutes and the glistening clear blue water of the Pacific returned to its calm state from beforehand. Just as the days cycle through light and dark, the waves and waters of the blue cycle though a multitude of characters, only to return to its original still, serene state.
Originally scored for 4 players on 2 marimbas, Nalu has been expanded to full percussion orchestra instrumentation, adding glockenspiel, chimes, crotales, xylophone, 2 vibraphones and a wide assortment of battery and auxiliary instruments. The new arrangement was commissioned by the Roma High School Percussion Ensemble and their director, Moses Simon, for performance at the 2019 Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Recent Performance
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Aether- Percussion 12
Affinity - Percussion 14
Chakalaka - Multiple Percussion
Citadel of the Stars - Percussion 13
Ephemera - Mallet Sextet
Fuerza Negra - Percussion Sextet
La Fractura - Percussion Trio
Monolith - Percussion 14
Nalu (Percussion Ensemble) - Percussion 13
Nalu (Marimba Quartet) - Marimba Quartet
Selva Luminosa - Mallet Quartet
Tesseract (Ensemble Version) - Vibraphone & Mallet Sextet
Time Dilation - Percussion Octet
Volcán de Fuego - Percussion Quartet
Voyager (Perez) - Percussion 12