Beacons of Light
for percussion ensemble
Price range: $15.00 through $50.00
Chad Heiny’s Beacons of Light was composed for the memory of Ryan McCutcheon, a percussionist who tragically passed away at the age of 19. In this piece for a large percussion ensemble, Chad uses a variety of bright, metallic instruments like crotales, sizzle cymbals, and multiple clusters of chimes to represent actual beacons of light. This moving and thoughtful work will touch audiences and challenge intermediate performers, as well as honor the memory of a dedicated friend.
This piece comes as a professionally printed and bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for printing or for tablet viewing.
- 8 individual crotales (taken from a two octave set)
- Chimes
- Glockenspiel
- 2 vibraphones
- 3-4 marimbas—(low A)
- Piano
- Drums (piccolo snare drum, bongos, 4 concert toms (high, medium high, medium low, low), bass drum, deep concert snare drum)
- Cymbals & gongs (hi-hat, 2 suspended cymbals, 3 ride cymbals (with & without sizzle attachments)
- Accessories (4 graduated chime clusters (i.e. pin chimes, glass wind chimes, etc.), triangle, sleigh bells)
Reviews
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Jason Baker –
This colorful and audience-captivating work for large percussion ensemble was commissioned as tribute to the memory of Ryan McCutcheon of the Hampton High School percussion section. The composer uses a variety of influences from Ryan’s life for inspiration and musical content. This includes the use of a “deconstructed” set of marching tenor drums (Ryan’s instrument of choice) orchestrated with bongos and concert toms, material from his favorite rap artist and ’70s rock group, as well as a four-note leitmotif taken from his favorite song, which is used throughout the piece. The composer does not explicitly state the identities of this source material in the program notes.
The writing is appropriate for a medium-advanced high school or beginning-medium undergraduate percussion ensemble. While rhythms stay within quarter and eighth notes, a high degree of individual confidence is required due to the hocketed passages that define the writing style and individualized melodic lines each player must execute, especially in the latter half of the piece. Most of the marimba writing is playable with two mallets, and any use of four is highly idiomatic and follows repetitive permutations. e piano part is playable by a non-percussionist, if needed.
Opening with interlocking minimalist figures, moving into textures evoking contemporary marching percussion, and closing with beautiful spacious melodies, “Beacons of Light” is a well-conceived and meaningful tribute to a life that ended too soon.