4BY4 for Percussion Quartet - ca. 8 Min.; 8 Tom-Toms, 4 Kick Drums, 3 Hi-Hat, 2 Congas, 2 Snare Drums, 3 Bck., advanced

Video

John Psathas’ 4BY4 (2012) is a high-energy and challenging multi-percussion work that takes ensemble- playing to the edge of technical possibility. It is also a highly entertaining work with its inclusion of genre-defying grooves and polyrhythmic complexity. Each player is assigned a unique combination of instruments, including tom-toms, cymbals, congas, snare drums, hi-hats and tambourine. All players use kick-drums, which unify the quartet and underpin the work’s momentum. ‘If Dave Weckl, Christopher Lamb, Steven Schick and Giovanni Hidalgo – all percussion virtuosi from widely different genres – were to have a jam session, I can’t help but think that it would sound something like 4BY4,’ Dr. Omar Carmenates (Furman University, SC, USA).