Cart is empty
Sweep Dreams by Danny Raymond offers a unique opportunity for beginning-to-intermediate musicians to perform on non-standard instruments, such as plastic buckets, brooms, spray bottles used as shakers, and plastic trash cans. These items are utilized to discover a wide variety of sounds and to create a groovy and fun musical experience. Players are also encouraged to “play-act” and incorporate elements of theater throughout their performance.
Ideally, the ensemble will feature 10 players with the following instrumentation and personnel: 2 broom players, 1 shaker bottle player, 1 dust pan player, 4 bucket players, and 2 rubber trash can players (with 4 cans). However, this piece can be performed with 7 players at a minimum: 2 broom players, 1 shaker bottle player, 1 dust pan player, 2 bucket players, and 1 rubber trash can player.
With a modest setup and a novelty aesthetic, Sweep Dreams would be a crowd-pleasing and educational addition to any concert!
Sweep Dreams comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Dust pan (1 or more)
• Plastic spray bottle (1 or more)
• Broom A (1 or more)
• Broom B (1 or more)
• Bucket A (1 or more)
• Bucket B (1 or more)
• 4 Trash cans (1, 2 or 4 players)
This is a fresh take on the often haphazard world of percussion ensemble with everyday items. The program notes state that the piece “offers a unique opportunity for beginning-to-intermediate musicians to perform on non-standard instruments, such as plastic buckets, brooms, spray bottles used as shakers, and plastic trash cans. These items are utilized to discover a wide variety of sounds and to create a groovy and fun musical experience. Players are also encouraged to ‘play-act’ and incorporate elements of theater throughout their performance.”
You need at least seven players to perform this piece, but ideally it is performed with 10 or more players. The parts, while equal in frequency and musical importance, range slightly with the bucket parts being the most involved rudimentary. “Sweep Dreams” is perfect for the beginning percussion ensemble that has players developing at different rates. Danny Raymond balances this perfectly with the use of solo “moments” at the ends of phrases, as well as open solo sections. While the bucket parts are more complex, every performer is exposed to syncopations, articulations, and dynamics. In short, the players will not only have fun but will also experience musical growth.
I highly recommend “Sweep Dreams.” It is the perfect piece to get your young percussionists involved, and would be a great addition to any concert, recruiting event, and percussion class.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 4, August 2021
Sweep Dreams by Danny Raymond offers a unique opportunity for beginning-to-intermediate musicians to perform on non-standard instruments, such as plastic buckets, brooms, spray bottles used as shakers, and plastic trash cans. These items are utilized to discover a wide variety of sounds and to create a groovy and fun musical experience. Players are also encouraged to “play-act” and incorporate elements of theater throughout their performance.
Ideally, the ensemble will feature 10 players with the following instrumentation and personnel: 2 broom players, 1 shaker bottle player, 1 dust pan player, 4 bucket players, and 2 rubber trash can players (with 4 cans). However, this piece can be performed with 7 players at a minimum: 2 broom players, 1 shaker bottle player, 1 dust pan player, 2 bucket players, and 1 rubber trash can player.
With a modest setup and a novelty aesthetic, Sweep Dreams would be a crowd-pleasing and educational addition to any concert!
Sweep Dreams comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
• Dust pan (1 or more)
• Plastic spray bottle (1 or more)
• Broom A (1 or more)
• Broom B (1 or more)
• Bucket A (1 or more)
• Bucket B (1 or more)
• 4 Trash cans (1, 2 or 4 players)
This is a fresh take on the often haphazard world of percussion ensemble with everyday items. The program notes state that the piece “offers a unique opportunity for beginning-to-intermediate musicians to perform on non-standard instruments, such as plastic buckets, brooms, spray bottles used as shakers, and plastic trash cans. These items are utilized to discover a wide variety of sounds and to create a groovy and fun musical experience. Players are also encouraged to ‘play-act’ and incorporate elements of theater throughout their performance.”
You need at least seven players to perform this piece, but ideally it is performed with 10 or more players. The parts, while equal in frequency and musical importance, range slightly with the bucket parts being the most involved rudimentary. “Sweep Dreams” is perfect for the beginning percussion ensemble that has players developing at different rates. Danny Raymond balances this perfectly with the use of solo “moments” at the ends of phrases, as well as open solo sections. While the bucket parts are more complex, every performer is exposed to syncopations, articulations, and dynamics. In short, the players will not only have fun but will also experience musical growth.
I highly recommend “Sweep Dreams.” It is the perfect piece to get your young percussionists involved, and would be a great addition to any concert, recruiting event, and percussion class.
—Joe Millea
Percussive Notes
Vol. 59, No. 4, August 2021
