Starry Night

by John Wilmarth

Medium Concert Percussion

10-12 Players

Instrumentation:

• Glockenspiel
• Crotales (2 octaves) (or glockenspiel w/ finger cymbals)
• Chimes
• 2 vibraphones
• 3 or 4 Marimbas — (3) 4-octave, (1) 5-octave*
• 4 Timpani (32”, 29”, 26”, 23”)
• Drums — large tom, concert bass drum**
• Cymbals & accessories — mark tree, 2 (or 3**) suspended cymbals, flat ride cymbal (or large suspended cymbal), clap cymbal stack (or mounted headless tambourine)**

*5-octave marimba part optional. Can also be played on a low E marimba. M1 and M4 may share the 5-octave marimba if utilized.

**optional

Starry Night by John Willmarth is a medium-level percussion ensemble for 10–12 players inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s celebrated painting of the same name. Set primarily in a minor key, the work captures both the darkness and mystery of the night sky and the emotional turbulence associated with the artist. Shimmering metallic textures evoke twinkling stars, while chimes represent the church rising from the landscape and weaving keyboard lines mirror Van Gogh’s distinctive swirling brushstrokes.

Flexible scoring makes the piece adaptable to ensembles of different sizes. Marimba 4 and Percussion 2 are optional, and directors with fewer players may combine the two percussion parts for a single performer. Crotales may also be replaced by glockenspiel played with finger cymbals, providing another practical option for programs with limited instrumentation.

This piece ships as a fully bound score. Individual parts come exclusively in PDF format.