Mayhem (Download)

for percussion ensemble

Daniel Montoya Jr.

Level: Medium

Duration: 4:30

Personnel: 8 players

State Lists: Texas | Missouri

Release Date: 2017

Product ID : TSPCE17-014DL

Price: $42.00

Item #: TSPCE17-014DL

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Description

Daniel Montoya Jr.’s Mayhem is an ode to his newborn baby girl. Composed as an "alternative" to the common lullaby-style pieces composers often conjure up for their children, this medium work for large percussion ensemble lovingly kicks at you right from the start. It centers around a rhythmical theme based on his daughter’s name: “Mara, Mara Mayhem.”

While remaining accessible to developing performers, Mayhem navigates many different time signatures while retaining a strong sense of groove throughout. A catchy melody and occasional backbeat give the listener a sense of stability in between kicking sessions!

Mayhem was commisioned by Megan Wike & Ridgeview Middle School (Round Rock, TX), in honor of their 2016 performance at The Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois.

Use of this product is governed by the license terms outlined here.

Instrumentation

• Crotales

• Glockenspiel

• Xylophone

• Vibraphone

• 3 marimbas—(2) low A, (1) low C

• 4 timpani

• Drums (marching snare drum, impact drum, kick drum (mounted), concert bass drum)

• Cymbals & gongs (hi-hat, china cymbal, splash cymbal, ride cymbal, sizzle cymbal)

• Accessories (triangle, tambourine, castanets, egg shaker, swish knocker, temple blocks, cabasa, finger cymbals, Ice Bell, log drums (4 pitches)

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Reviews

Commissioned for Megan Wike and Ridgeview Middle School, “Mayhem” is a short but memorable percussion ensemble. Of the eight parts, four are scored for keyboard percussion, one of which also plays a small multi-percussion setup, with the remaining four parts being scored for timpani and three small multi-percussion setups ranging from three to seven instruments respectively. is work owes its thematic and motivic continuity to Mara Mayhem, Daniel Montoya Jr. ’s daughter, about whom the work was written. While composed in one continuous movement, this work is comprised of an expansive introduction and two distinct themes thought of by Montoya as the “Mayhem Theme” and “Mara’s Theme”—each written as an ode to the dedicatee and connected rhythmically to her name: “Mara. Mara Mayhem. ”

It is apparent that Montoya took great care to balance this piece so that it is both technically and musically valuable. is is notable due to the intricate orchestration for the keyboard and percussion parts with minimal doubling such that players are o en highlighted independently within the “groove. ” is groove-oriented music harkens the image of a “nightly dance party” with its memorable melodies that instantly seem familiar. Montoya highlights these moments by using extended techniques, such as stick clicks and rimshots, as well as the unusual orchestration for impact drum, swish knocker, ice-bell, and marching snare drum.

Impressive though the grooves may be, Montoya’s real achievement is not simply that he crafts danceable melodies, but that he does so within intricate, highly syncopated accompaniment textures that at times shift between 5/8, 2/4, 3/4, and 4/4. Despite the changing meters, this work is appropriate for an advanced middle school or intermediate high school percussion ensemble. As op- posed to some works written for younger performers, this piece is not a patchwork of grooves, and it does pose a few pitfalls, especially when it comes to transition material. It should be mentioned that at times the transitions between themes are disjunct in pulse and may present issues for the young ensemble. One example of this is between measures 49–51, where the pulse is distorted through hemiola and syncopation at a particularly vulnerable point, prior to the introduction of a new theme. While transitions like this may pose a challenge, they would easily be overcome through targeted rehearsal.

This piece would be ideal for transitioning percussionists from marching band to percussion ensemble. Due to its danceability, “Mayhem” would appeal to audiences and young performers alike.

–Quintin Mallette
Percussive Notes
Vol. 53, No. 1, March 2015