SUPERCUSSION 2023 Presented by the Allen ISD Percussion Program

TigerLike - Chad Floyd

Jonathan Kemp, Zachary Allen & Christopher Connolly (marimbas)

Aleah Beebe (glockenspiel)

Lilly Reeves & Ian Miller (vibes)

Tate Cope (drumset)

Allen ISD Combined 7th Grade Percussion Class Showcase

Curtis Middle School, Ereckson Middle School, and Ford Middle School Percussion Classes

Pad Fundamentals: 8 on a Hand, 4-3-2- Accent, Double Beat

Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne

Blue Sparkled Bungalow

Pranav Devulapalli (sophomore) & Mason Beltran (junior)

Blue Sparkled Bungalow was originally written for the UNT snareline in 2016 by Bryce Gardner and was adapted for snare duet by Pranav and Mason.

Yellow After the Rain - Mitchell Peters

Megan Nguyen - 8th Grade - Curtis Middle School

Written in 1971, Yellow After the Rain has become one of the most famous 4-mallet pieces of all time. Peters wrote the piece after finding it difficult to find a piece suited for one of his students that was fun to listen to but also introduced 4-mallet technique sequentially.

Devious Licks

Bass Ensemble written by Matthew Lengel (senior)

Bass 1 - Jude Lambert, Bass 2 - Matt Lengel, Bass 3 - Aiden Kimball, Bass 4 - Zach Allen, Bass 5 - Matt Bryan

Devious licks went too far after this group of 5 friends got caught. Will they make it back in time to perform for Supercussion? Stay tuned to find out!

Don't Stop Believin'

By Journey (arranged by Bradford H. Ralson)

Don't Stop Believin' is a rock song by American band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, Escape. A top-10 worldwide hit in 1981, Don't Stop Believin' became the group's signature song and has continued to endure over the years. Decades after its release, it became the best-selling digital track from the twentieth century, with over seven million downloads.

Note: Thank you to Sebastian Zhang for transposing this piece for us!

Freerider - by Patrick Speranza

Performed by the combined 8th grade percussionists (Curtis, Ereckson, & Ford)

Strive to be Happy - by Ivan Trevino

Performed by Jachin Mulder (sophomore)

Strive to be Happy (2014) is a marimba solo dedicated to Aaron Staebell, one of my best friends and favorite musical collaborators, and is written for 4.3 octave marimba. Aaron introduced me to “Desiderata”, a prose poem written by American writer Max Ehrmann in 1927. The poem is a simple and positive credo for living life, and one that both Aaron and I cherish and take to heart. The poem ends with the simple phrase, “Strive to be happy.” - Ivan Trevino

This performance is dedicated to those effected by the Allen shooting on May 6, 2023.

“This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.” - Leonard Bernstein

Tricks of the Trade - by Danny Raymond/Rion Smith

Performed by Tate Cope (senior) on drumset and Pranav Devulapalli (sophomore) on snare.

Tricks of the Trade is a challenging, high-energy duet between drumset and marching snare drum by Danny Raymond and Rion Smith. This unique setup brings the elements of style and feel to the forefront through grooves such as drum-and-bass, funk, and rock. As the title suggests, there are opportunities to trade licks, which creates a timing challenge and produces an exciting palette of sound. The other major feature of this piece is its soloistic aspects. While the composers’ improvised solos have been transcribed in this edition, players are encouraged to improvise their own. This allows for unique performances of this unique piece.

Mercury Rising - by Nathan Daughtrey

Performed by the LFC Wind Ensemble percussion section: Jacob Morgan, Patrick Levy, Advaiya Lad, Hailey Copeland, Yuthi Manimaran, JR Bogardus, and Mimi Holden.

Featuring a balanced ensemble of keyboard and battery percussion, Mercury Rising is a fugue that gives all players the opportunity to shine. After a brief anticipatory introduction, the tempo picks up and the keyboard percussion introduces the primary fugue theme (or subject), with entries by the marimba, the xylophone, and then the vibraphone. The battery joins the excitement before taking over the fugue subject, featuring the snare drum and concert toms. By the time the timpani takes over the subject, all members of the ensemble have entered leading to a climactic explosion. After a brief developmental 3/4 section, in which fragments of the fugue subject are strewn about the ensemble, intensity continues to build to the end of the piece, as the theme appears in its loudest and fastest presentation yet.

Seeking Paradise - by Miles Locke

Performed by Zachary Hammons (junior)

"Seeking Paradise was composed over many years starting around 2011 and culminating in 2018 with the finished version. I had at least 4 different versions of the piece over that time but never felt it was quite right. Finally, after many tweaks, I felt I had the composition I was looking for. This is actually the first marimba solo I have written (or finished writing). My goal was to create a musical journey that was unique from other marimba literature that already existed." - Miles Locke

The piece begins with a heavy-hearted chorale, then transitions to a more upbeat mood. Together, the performer and audience travel through a variety of sonorities, each with a unique identity that is captivating in its own way. Eventually, we return to where we started. The music ends, just as it began, only now with an emotional respect for our experiences. The chorale ends in a joyful light - We have found our paradise.

Dynamite - by Pranav Devulapalli

Performed by the Allen High School Varsity Snare Line

After a group of high school percussionists get lost in an abandoned coal mine, it appears there's only one way out..........snare drum. Enjoy this exciting and creative composition, but beware of cave-ins!

Embers Above - by Arnor Chu

Performed by Christopher Connolly (junior) & Lilly Reeves (sophomore)

Embers Above is a duet written for piano and 5.0 octave marimba. This moving work takes us through multiple musical styles and requires a high level of technical and musical ability. Arnor Chu says about his composition: "This piece is meant to be a duet and not just a piece for marimba and piano accompaniment. I keep the music very abstract and actually have a hard time naming my pieces after I've written them for that reason. So, I always encourage people to find their own meaning in the music and in their interpretation.”

Ignite! - by Miles Locke

Allen ISD Mass Percussion Ensemble (112 students)

Ignite! was written for the Performing Arts Fort Worth 2018 Percussion Camp and was premiered at Bass Performance Hall. The goal of this composition was to write music that was accessible to a wide variety of players and differing skill levels and to get as many people on stage as possible! The piece starts with a marimba ostinato that serves as the centerpiece of the composition. There are also some fun extended techniques including playing keyboards with the backs of the mallets. Everyone gets a share of the spotlight on this tune. Buckle up and enjoy Ignite!

Allen Percussion Roster