When You Hear the Drum

by Brian Slawson

Easy/Medium Concert Percussion

10 Players

Instrumentation:

• Chimes*
• Glockenspiel
• Xylophone
• Marimba — low A**
• 2 Timpani (in A & D)
• Drumset (rack tom, floor tom, kick drum, large crash cymbal)
• Drums (bongos, 2 hand drums (high, low) snare drum, 2 concert toms, concert bass drum)
• Cymbals & gongs (2 pairs of crash cymbals, 3 suspended cymbals, large tam tam***, small tam tam)
• Accessories (2 pairs of claves, tambourine, triangle, maraca, vibraslap, finger cymbals, temple blocks)
• Piano

*  Shared between Chimes and Xylophone
** Shared between two marimba players
*** Shared between Snare drum and Piano

In When You Hear the Drum, Brian Slawson combines two anonymous traditional chants, “Sing We Now of Christmas” and “Fife & Drum,” into a modern groove-oriented holiday jam. There are opportunities for soloists to improvise, various syncopated rhythmic challenges, and tons of textural variety for the young percussion ensemble to sink their teeth into. A holiday program would definitely benefit from this little gem!

When You Hear the Drum was commissioned by Jim McCarl and The Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy Percussion Ensemble from Melbourne, Florida.

In addition to the printed score you are receiving downloadable:

✅ Individual Parts
✅ Full Recording