Six by Six
Quick Facts
Instrumentation: Six percussionists, two marimbas
Players: Three performers per marimba
Duration: Approximately 6 minutes
Year composed: 2013
Difficulty: Collegiate / advanced ensemble
Listen
University of South Florida Percussion Department — 2015
The Story
Six by Six is built around a simple challenge: six percussionists, two marimbas, and one ensemble that has to think and move together.
Three performers share each instrument. That makes coordination part of the music itself. Players cannot simply master their own notes; they have to listen across the ensemble, maintain rhythmic precision, make room for one another physically and musically, and contribute to a single shared pulse.
That was central to what I wanted from the piece. Six by Six is intended to be enjoyable to play, but its enjoyment comes through disciplined ensemble work. It asks six individual musicians to become something more interesting together than any one of them could produce alone.
The piece has proved particularly suited to the university percussion environment. This 2015 performance by the University of South Florida Percussion Department captures that character particularly well.
Score & Parts
Score provided as a free PDF download.
US Letter size | A4 paper size
Planning a performance?
Please contact Stephen P. Brown with the ensemble or institution name and anticipated performance date.
Related Compositions
- Marimba Concerto 1 — Marimba, Flute and Strings
- SiebenmusiK — Percussion Ensemble
- Tencan Chine — Percussion Ensemble
- Cerddoriaeth 1 — Solo Marimba
- A Simple Struggle for Intimacy — Solo Marimba