IE2
General Info
Year: 2014
Duration: c.
Difficulty: (see Ratings for explanation)
Publisher: Musicon
Cost: Score and Parts - $45.00 | Score Only - $0.00
Movements
Instrumentation
Player 1: Deep gong, crotales, vibra-slap, cowbell
Player 2: Glockenspiel
Player 3: Xylophone
Player 4: Vibraphone
Player 5: Vibraphone, suspended cymbal
Player 6: Marimba (5-octave)
Player 7: Marimba (low A)
Player 8: Marimba (5-octave) (optional low A part)
Player 9: Marimba (5-octave)
Player 10: Double Bass (Amplified)
Player 11: Percussion 1: High Wood Block, High Tom tom, Bass Drum, Splash Cymbal, Suspended Cymbal
Player 12: Percussion 2: Medium Wood Block, Medium Tom tom, Muted Cowbell, Suspended Cymbal
Player 13: Percussion 3: Snare Drum (or marching Snare Drum), mounted Tambourine
Player 14: Percussion 4: Snare Drum (or marching Snare Drum), mounted Tambourine
Player 15: Accessories: Low Wood Block, Cajon, Small Muted Bass Drum, Low Tom tom
Program Notes
Review
n 2014 Tzong-Ching Ju, Director of the Ju Percussion Group and Music Professor at the Taipei National University of the Arts, asked me to write a composition for the Ju Percussion Group. The result was Infinity∞Energy, a percussion ensemble composition for nine players. The title of the work was inspired by Ju’s vision for the 2014 Taiwan International Percussion Convention. I was fortunate to be part of this amazing convention with a week of outstanding concerts in Taipei and many other cities in Taiwan. This convention was a massive undertaking and on the poster for this event were the words “Infinity Energy” with the infinity symbol – ∞. My title was inspired by Tzong-Ching’s vision for percussion music and his never-ending energy for his students and The Ju Percussion Group. When I received the news that Tzong-Ching Ju was elected to the PAS Hall of Fame, I knew that I wanted to revisit Infinity Energy to celebrate Mr. Ju’s induction to the Hall of Fame at PASIC 2016. So I expanded the performers to 15, wrote new contrasting sections and IE2 was born.
My thoughts on this music were focused on things that naturally had unlimited energy and I kept coming back to “time.” The work begins with wood block metronomes representing time like a clock ticking. This slowly builds into a swift transition that releases with the first entrance of the main theme stated in the marimbas and vibraphone. Here the piece starts to dance as the keyboards and percussion perform over uneven time. After contrasting sections are presented, the metronomes return and the dialog between the keyboard instruments becomes erratic. Finally Infinity∞Energy arrives back at the main theme and a climatic drumming ending.
This is my second opportunity to compose for the Ju Percussion Group (the first was Heads Up!). Congratulations to my friend Tzong-Ching Ju on his induction to the Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame, the Ju Percussion Group for their wonderful music, my amazing students at UNT and to my constant muse and editor, Ewelina. Enjoy! Mark Ford[1]
Errata
Awards
Commercial Discography
Online Recordings
Recent Performances
To submit a performance please join the TEK Percussion Database
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Afta-Stuba! - Percussion Trio - 1 Marimba
Cabasa (Ford) - Percussion Quintet
Head Talk - Percussion Quintet
Heads Up! - Percussion Quintet
IE2 - Percussion Ensemble (15 Players)
Motion Beyond - Marimba
Nightwatch - Percussion Sextet - Steel Band w/ Rhythm Section
One-Eyed Jacks - Percussion Sextet
Polaris - Marimba
Ransom - Marimba
Standup Shadow - Percussion Quartet; Narrator
Stubernic - Percussion Trio - 1 Marimba
Stubernic Fantasy for Orchestra
Stubernic Fantasy for Wind Ensemble
Additional Resources
References