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COMPOSE

Want to work with Jason on a project? Contact him about  his rates for arrangements or original compositions. Jason is also happy to consult or collaborate with you, even if you are using someone else to write for your program. Additional input is always great!
Notes from the Percussion Arranger

1. Lights - I wrote this piece to challenge myself in electronics with percussion ensemble. This piece could serve well for a percussion ensemble looking for an etude style warm-up.

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2. 9/8 Accent Tap - This exercise was taken from Paul Rennick and expanded upon. I really liked the possibilities in feel with a 9/8 pattern. In fact, the bass drum part is actually felt in 3/4 throughout the exercise. This is an example of an exercise developed for an advanced percussion program.

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3. Give It One - The percussion section in this tune by Maynard Ferguson was very small and had a wide range of ability. The drum set player was advanced while the rest of the ensemble was young. This piece shows how I tried to challenge a wide range while still giving the ensemble a sense of fullness from the percussion voice.

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4. Hope - Music from the video game Gears of War 2. Another example of a smaller percussion ensemble with beginning to intermediate percussion and mallets. I really liked the idea of a drum and bass over the top of the melody because the drum set player was the most advanced performer. The mallet instruments were challenged with repeated arpeggios and scalar passages for movement that sounds challenging and active.

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5. Spy - An arrangement inspired by spy movies, this piece shows how I write for a full marching percussion ensemble. The front ensemble parts are layered in texture to create motion, sense of fullness, and interest. The battery parts are meant to be musical in nature and only being the focal point in designated spots. 

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6. Happy - Pharrell Williams' hit song for marching band! Pop songs are often hard to arrange percussion parts for as they are repetitive in nature. This example shows how I like to explore the percussion ensemble through texture and solo opportunities to keep the audience engaged.

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