Thundersnow

Miles Locke

Medium Concert Percussion

18-24+ players

Instrumentation: 

Crotales (2 octaves)

Glockenspiel

3 Vibraphones

Chimes

Xylophone

3 Marimbas — (1) low A, (1) low F (opt. 5-octave), (1) 5-octave

4 or 5 Timpani

Piano

Synthesizer*

Drumset

Drums — concert bass drum (+ opt. 2nd BD), 6 toms, impact drums*

Cymbals and gongs — China cymbal, sizzle cymbal, splash cymbal, suspended cymbal, tam-tam

Accessories — 5 bows, bell tree*, garden weasels (may sub triangle), mark tree, slapstick, sleigh bells, 2 tambourines (orchestral and headless), thunder tubes*, 3 triangles, whirly tubes* (F-natural and G-natural), woodblock, optional 6 tuned wine glasses (any octave—F, G, A-flat, B-flat, C, D-flat)

*optional

Thundersnow by Miles Locke is large-scale, energetic work for percussion ensemble based on a rare weather phenomenon whereby snow replaces rain as the primary precipitation in a thunderstorm. The characteristics of such an event are sonically represented by drums and cymbals for thunder, and metallics and melodic instruments for snow.

The piece is scored with flexibility in mind, accommodating a wide range of player experience levels and may be performed with as few as 18 players and as many as 24 or more. When a full complement of players is possible, antiphonal parts for impact drums positioned strategically around the audience create a fully immersive “surround sound” experience during key moments.

Thundersnow ships as a fully bound score (11” x 14”) and includes individual parts in PDF format for either printing or tablet viewing.