Encore in Jazz

Vic Firth

7 minutes

7 percussionists

 

Vic Firth was born June 2, 1930, in Winchester, Massachusetts.. He started learning the cornet from the age of four, turning over to percussion at an older age, as well as learning to play the trombone, clarinet, piano, and studying music arrangement. When he reached high school, he was a full time percussionist, creating an 18-piece band at the age of 16. He played a variety of percussion instruments such as vibraphone, timpani and the drum set. Firth is probably best known for being the long time timpani of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and for his percussion company.

In this piece, the composer brings in his experience as a young man in a jazz big band and as a music arranger. It features swinging mallet parts, a walking bass timpani part and a jazz drum kit. A lot of fun for the whole band!

 

Annotated by Laurent Warnier