An American Dream
General Info
Year of Published: 2023
Publisher: Tapspace
Difficulty: Intermediate
Duration: 00:04:00
Cost: $42.00
Instrumentation
Player 1: Crotales & Field Drum
Player 2: Glockenspiel & Tom Toms
Player 3: Vibraphone & Marching Snare Drum
Player 4: Xylophone & Hand Cymbals
Player 5: Marimba 1 & Tam Tam
Player 6: Marimba 2
Player 7: Chimes & Cowbell
Player 8: Timpani & Suspended Cymbal
Player 9: Concert Snare Drum
Player 10: Concert Bass Drum with Cymbal attached & Temple Blocks
Player 11 (offstage): Trumpet & Suspended Cymbal
Description
An American Dream by Brian Slawson is an emotional showpiece for large percussion ensemble that weaves together familiar elements of Americana. Arranged in a cinematic style, the piece begins with a traditional drum cadence that gradually becomes modernized as it approaches and reaches a powerful climax. It then transitions into a blissful dream sequence lead by the metallic keyboard instruments. The surreal setting continues as a distant, somber offstage trumpet reverently plays Taps. Finally, the music grows into a rousing and celebratory Sousa-style parade march. Although An American Dream tells a clear story on its own, it's an ideal piece for underscoring patriotic video presentations as well.
Recent Performance
Works for Percussion by this Composer
Solos
Two-Beat Tango
Cricket
Animal Cracker Rag
Chamber Percussion Ensemble
Candlesticks - 8 Players
Füm Drum - 9 Players
Odd Duck - 4 Players
Song of All Seasons - 8 Players
Pelican - 9 Players
Rockbox - 9 Players
Tangito - 9 Players
Top Tank - 3 Players
Winterland - 8 Players
Large Percussion Ensemble
Angels in the Moonlight
Animals
Bongito - 13 Players
Book Bash - 10 Players
Christmas Day
Dreams From the Dark Forest - 13 Players
Jokers Wild - 13 Players
La Vida de la Noche (Percussion Ensemble) - 15 Players
Little Lullabies
Nanigo Navidad - 11 Players
Opa! - 10 Players
Pistoleros - 13 Players
Roundup - 10 Players
Santa's Strut - 11 Players
Strum - 10 Players
Tale of the Dragon - 12 Players
Tank Time - 10 Players
The Three Buccaneers
When You Hear the Drum - 10 Players
Mallet Ensemble
A Little Malletmusik
El Paso Waltz
La Vida de la Noche (Mallet Ensemble)
Percussion Ensemble with Other Instrument
An American Dream - Percussion Ensemble & Trumpet
Indeterminate Percussion Ensemble
Pop Drop - 3 or more Players
Yes & No - 5 or 6 Players