Palio di Siena

by Clif Walker

Advanced Concert Percussion

9 Players

Instrumentation: 

• Chimes
• Glockenspiel
• Crotales (high octave)
• Xylophone
• 2 Vibraphones
• 2 Marimbas — (1) low A, (1) 5-octave
• 4 Timpani
• Drums — concert snare drum, bongos
• Cymbals — hi-hat, splash stack, 2 ride or flat ride cymbals
• Accessories — 3 woodblocks (high, med, low), 5 granite or temple blocks, claves, castanet machine

Palio di Siena by Clif Walker is an advanced percussion ensemble work inspired by the famous horse race held twice each year in Siena, Italy. In a nonstop 90-second sprint, performers are pushed to their physical and musical limits through relentless tempo, articulation, and endurance challenges.

Scored for nine players, the instrumentation features a colorful mix of mallet keyboards, timpani, and battery percussion that captures the race’s tension and exhilaration. With its technical demands and driving pace, Palio di Siena makes a dynamic concert opener or showcase for experienced ensembles.

This Piece ships as a fully bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for either printing or tablet viewing.