Break Point (2020)
Break Point is my third duet for percussion and non-percussion instrumentation – a genre that is in desperate need of more repertoire. Break Point is inspired by street busking – an art form where musicians perform out in public on city streets and subways, often with makeshift percussion instruments. The drum set reflects this, with standard drums, but instead of cymbals they are instructed to use an opera gong and a small skillet.
The title is a reference to the breaking point of metal, usually by bending until it snaps. In the music, the saxophone has many pitch bends, and the percussionist has the opera gong, another pitch bending instrument.
Break Point was premiered by Clayton Garner and Clay Steiner in the spring of 2022.
Length: 5 minutes
Difficulty: Advanced (Grade 5)
Instrumentation:
Tenor Saxophone
Modified Drum Set: Kick, Snare, High Tom, Medium Tom, Small Skillet, Opera Gong