Flotsam & Jetsam

“Flotsam & Jetsam,” an easy 2½-minute ensemble piece for flexible instrumentation, is clearly a response to the unique constraints placed upon music educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although recognizing that this is a pedagogical piece intended for young students, I can’t help but draw comparisons to the easier works of Johanna Beyer, specifically in regard to the rhythmic language, formal structure, and open instrumentation. It will be easy enough for young performers to prepare confidently, and as long as the composer’s setup instructions are followed, the built-in spatial effects will be more than enough to hold a general audience’s attention from start to finish.

Although intended for live performance, “Flotsam & Jetsam” would also be a perfect fit for a socially-distanced ensemble seeking to create online content. I feel the live experience would be far superior, in part due to the spatial elements and in part due to the opportunity for young players to gain chamber skills in a safe, unthreatening piece. However, the added value as a flexible piece for open instrumentation, ensemble size, and platform makes this piece a critically useful tool in the post-COVID world of music education, and I would happily recommend it as a must-own for teachers of early-level percussionists.

—Brian Graiser
Percussive Notes
Vol. 60, No. 1, February 2022