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
Dynamic Solos for Timpani
Dynamic Solos for Mallets
Dynamic Solos for Snare Drum
Cricket
Animal Cracker Rag
Percussion Ensemble
A Little Malletmusik
Angels in the Moonlight
Animals
Bongito
Candlesticks - Percussion Octet
Christmas Day
Dreams From the Dark Forest
Füm Drum
Jokers Wild
La Vida de la Noche (Mallet Ensemble)
La Vida de la Noche (Percussion Ensemble)
Little Lullabies
Nanigo Navidad - Percussion (11)
Odd Duck - Percussion Quartet
Opa! - Percussion 10
Pelican - Percussion (9)
Pistoleros - Percussion (13)
Pop Drop
Rockbox - Percussion Nonet
Santa's Strut
Tale of the Dragon
The Three Buccaneers
Top Tank
When You Hear the Drum
Winterland - Percussion Octet
Percussion Ensemble with Other Instrument
An American Dream - Percussion Ensemble & Trumpet