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Program Notes
Early in 2025, I found myself stuck in a repetitive pattern in life. It’s a pretty concerning feeling - as if everything is set to cycle over and over into eternity. I noticed similar patterns in our society and the world we live in. It was painful to observe this, but I realized these perpetual events were not necessarily a problem: I just needed a new approach.
With “In Perpetuity” I wanted to express this concept in a way that only music can attempt to resolve. The piece begins with a spacious, contemplative vibraphone solo that seeks to understand how to work with the steady, unyielding xylophone groove. From there, more voices work together to take the listener to new places, eventually embracing and morphing the perpetual motifs into something truly hopeful. Some of the darkest, most dissonant moments of the piece are later reimagined and heard in a new light, carrying forward into an energetic and uplifting conclusion.
- Brandon Cummings
Instrumentation
Chimes
Bells & Crotales
Vibraphone 1
Vibraphone 2
Xylophone
Marimba 1 (4.6 octave, playable on a 4.3)
Marimba 2 (5.0 octave)
Marimba 3 (5.0 octave)
Marimba 4 (5.0 octave)
Timpani (5 drums)
Percussion 1 - 4 Toms, Ride Cymbal, Sizzle Cymbal, China Cymbal, Splash Cymbal, Wind Chimes, Tam-Tam (shared with Perc 3)
Percussion 2 - Snare Drum, China Cymbal, Concert Bass Drum, Slapstick
Percussion 3 - 3 Suspended Cymbals, Triangle (mounted), Zil Bel/Brake Drum, Garden Weasel, Wind Chimes, Hand Cymbals, Ocean Drum, Tam-tam (shared with Perc 1)
Performances
Texas Christian University Percussion Orchestra, Dr. Brian A. West, conductor - Percussive Arts Society International Convention (IPEC Showcase Concert) - 11/13/2025