Yes & No
for percussion ensemble
Yes & No by Brian Slawson is a short, two-movement work for five to six beginning percussionists. The two movements are both 34 measures long and contain identical rhythmic parts. The Yes movement is played on pitched instruments while the No movement is played on non-pitched instruments.
The work is playable with only five players, while the optional sixth part on a five-octave marimba (or bass bars C2 and G2) and hand drum can be utilized if personnel and equipment allow.
The composer suggests starting with the No movement to enhance the piece’s overall effect while helping beginners transitioning to pitched instruments.
Yes & No ships as a fully bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for either printing or tablet viewing.
Reviews
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Quintin Mallette –
Brian Slawson has crafted a fun work that perfectly addresses the pedagogical need for isolating pitch and rhythm early in the learning process. To do this, Slawson takes the rhythms from pitched percussion instruments in “Yes” and orchestrates them using indefinite pitched percussion instruments in “No.” Not only is this a great way to support emerging players, but as the composer alludes to in his program notes, it is an interesting thought experiment. How much of a piece’s identity lies in its rhythms? With this brief and well-orchestrated work, you can answer that question for yourself.
At just over a minute, “Yes & No” is a perfect addition to a large ensemble concert looking to feature the percussion section. With its use of simple meter and very slight syncopations in a friendly key, this piece is ideal for middle school or other emerging percussionists. At the same time, its length and clear link to pedagogy also make it a useful piece to study and or perform in a percussion methods or percussion pedagogy class.
—Quintin Mallette
Percussive Notes
Vol. 63, No. 2, April 2025