BLAZE is a balanced percussion septet pitting the keyboards versus the battery instruments. It draws inspiration from the following Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, as in “trail-blaze” or a blaze on a trail:

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

The piece was commissioned by the departing Sydney Grammar School (Australia) 2021 Percussion Ensemble students Remy Alonso, Lars Hofflin, Luke Levison, Edward Meade, Daniel Sirmai, and Elliot Soh, on behalf of, and dedicated to, their conductor and teacher, Mr. Iain Scotland. 

INSTRUMENTATION
Bells/Xylophone
Vibraphone/Temple Blocks
Marimba 1/Medium Tom
Marimba 2/Kick Drum [laid flat]
4 Timpani/China Cymbal
Percussion 1: Snare Drum, Bongos, Hi-Hat
Percussion 2: 4 Concert Toms, Suspended Cymbal

Blaze (percussion septet) - Nathan Daughtrey

Commissioned by the current and former members of the Boise Philharmonic Percussion Section, Sunward/Onward is a keyboard percussion sextet dedicated to Dr. John Baldwin on the occasion of his retirement from Boise State University after 50 years of teaching. The piece draws inspiration from the poem “My Triumph” by John Greenleaf Whittier, which truly captures the essence of passing the torch.

Sunward/Onward (keyboard  percussion sextet) - Nathan Daughtrey

Celebrating the legacy of Marcellus Brown’s tenure as director of bands at Boise State University, "Through an Open Door" is a lush setting of Dvorák’s "Goin’ Home" that cleverly marries the chromatic spelling of “MARCELLUS” with the original spiritual. The arrangement stays true to the original while adding new countermelodies, re-harmonization, and fresh colors and textures.

Through An Open Door: A Setting of "Goin' Home" (Band Gr. 4.5) - Nathan Daughtrey

Utilizing the chord progression of the ever-popular “Canon in D,” "Pachelbel’s Ghost" combines three glockenspiels to create an eerie music box effect while giving all three players their moment in the spotlight.

Pachelbel's Ghost (glockenspiel trio from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

"To Serenity…" is a peaceful, lyrical piece for 3 players on one marimba. Its warm, lush harmonies and smooth, serpentine melodies are reminiscent of those found in Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.”

To Serenity... (3 on 1 marimba from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

"Lightning Bugs" is a playful, quasi-march in 6/8 time using two of the highest instruments in the keyboard percussion family – bells and xylophone.

Lightning Bugs (trio for bells & 2 xylophone from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

Typically used as a derogatory term, "Blockheads" here is simply a fun play on words meaning each player has a woodblock in addition to their marimba part.

Blockheads (3 on 1 marimba + woodblocks from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

In Greek mythology, “Elysium” was the final resting place for the souls of the heroic and the pure. It has come to mean any place or state of bliss or delight. Paradise.

Seeking Elysium (percussion trio from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

Featuring instruments that all produce short sounds, "Another Time" creates clock-like sounds with the temple blocks and a march-like tune in the xylophones reminiscent of the main theme from The Legend of Zelda.

Another Time (percussion trio from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

The "Vanishing Act" in question is the constantly shifting time signatures, as they repeatedly decrease in value from 4/4 to 3/4 to 2/4. This trio is meant to give each player the opportunity to play in a rubato style.

Vanishing Act (percussion trio from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

The title "Parts Unknown" is borrowed from the food & travel show of the same name hosted by the inimitable chef Anthony Bourdain. After a brief, slow introduction, the piece builds to twice the tempo, requiring each player to quickly alternate between their keyboard and battery instruments.

Parts Unknown (percussion trio from "Triology") - Nathan Daughtrey

"The Light You Bring" is an intermediate 4-mallet solo for low-A marimba based around a short poem of the same title by Kai Skye:
"when you step in to the thing you are, the world does not burn, but glows more brightly with the light you bring."

Purchase Sheet Music

The Light You Bring (Solo 4.3-octave Marimba) - Nathan Daughtrey

Commissioned by Jeremy DeLuca and the Mt. Lebanon Percussion Program to celebrate their 40th anniversary, The Heroes Around Us draws inspiration from a poem by Kai Skye (formerly Brian Andreas):

"once you begin to see the heroes around you, the ones that stand quietly and love the world with everything they are, it is hard to miss that you are bigger because of them & don't be surprised if one day you choose to stand up, too & show what happens when you live that kind of life."

After a brief, expansive opening that encourages deep breathing & reﬂection, the piece moves into a rousing celebration ﬁlled with memorable melodies and toe-tapping rhythms that alternates between two primary themes, traveling through many textures and moods, always driving toward the exciting conclusion.

The Heroes Around Us (perc ens 13-16 players) - Nathan Daughtrey

Firefly (percussion ensemble 12) - Nathan Daughtrey

Originally composed for string orchestra, Nathan Daughtrey has scored Gillingham's powerful work for percussion ensemble. Inspired by the hymn 'O For A Thousands Tongues to Sing', this work begins quite frantically with sporadic motives from the hymn. Alternating passages of lyric beauty and rhythmic confusion follow with several dramatic presentations of the hymn tune.

Point Of Reckoning (percussion ensemble) - David Gillingham/N. Daughtrey

Commissioned by the NC Central District Bandmasters Association for the 2016 Central District All-District Middle School Band, conducted by Patricia Hughes Ball. 

This recording provided by the Furman University Wind Ensemble, conducted by Les Hicken.

Inspired by the book series, “Peter and the Starcatchers,” this rousing piece captures the innocence, adventure, danger, and wonderment of the early days of Peter Pan and the Lost Boys as they travel the seas in search of the magical “star stuff.” The intense darkness of the pirate Black Stache even makes an appearance with alternating measures of 4/4 and 7/8 as well as special vocal effects throughout the ensemble.

StarCatchers for Concert Band (Grade 3)

Spiraling Light was inspired by an event that took place in Norway in December of 2009, when a blue mysterious beam of light with a grayish spiral emanating from it appeared in the night sky. Initial speculations suggested it was a fireball meteor, a rare never-before-seen Northern Lights variant, or even a wormhole opening up. Unfortunately, it turned out to be much less exciting than any of those things – a failed Russian missile test.

Spiraling Light (percussion octet) - Nathan Daughtrey

Last fall, I experienced a nasty bout of tonsillitis that landed me in the emergency room, as my tonsils were so swollen they were starting to close off. Leading up to this, the climax of my sickness, I had a seemingly never-ending series of high fevers. With each passing cycle, I would fade in and out of restless sleep, which produced some of the most vivid and bleak dreams I’d ever experienced. These dreams/nightmares created a vision of a post-apocalyptic world filled with crumbling rubble, twisted metal, and sunless skies that I was desperately trying to escape. I attempted to capture one of these fever dream cycles in this, my first battery-only percussion quartet.

I started with the word “fever” and translated each letter into a number using one of my favorite indeterminate tools. The result was the numeric palindrome 5-4-9-4-5. These numbers informed everything in the piece, from basic rhythms to accent patterns to time signatures to phrases to overall form to the aluminum pipe pitches.

Fever Dream was commissioned by the University of Texas at Arlington Percussion Ensemble, directed by Dr. Michael Varner and Dr. Andrew Eldridge.

Fever Dream: Percussion Quartet No. 1 - Nathan Daughtrey

World premiere of "Twitch" for solo clarinet & wind ensemble by the Spring High School Wind Ensemble, conducted by Jason Smith, at the 2016 Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, with clarinet soloist Sash Potiomkin of the Houston Symphony Orchestra.

Twitch LIVE! (solo clarinet & wind ensemble) - Nathan Daughtrey

My favorite moment every morning comes when my baby daughter, Penelope, wakes up full of smiles and optimism. The title "Such Small Things" comes from a StoryPeople print that hangs in her nursery. Brian Andreas's words perfectly capture the anticipation of her arrival into this world.

SUCH SMALL THINGS by BRIAN ANDREAS
For a long time, there were only your footprints & laughter in our dreams
& even from such small things, we knew we could not wait to love you forever.

Such Small Things LIVE (Band Gr. 2) - Nathan Daughtrey

Shine On! (Concert Band Gr. 5) - Nathan Daughtrey

I. Asgard: The Home of the Gods - Nathan Daughtrey

III. Jötenheim: The Land of the Giants - Nathan Daughtrey

Celtic Xylophone, Book 1 - Irish Washerwoman

Celtic Xylophone, Book 1 - Londonderry Air

Celtic Xylophone, Book 2 - Echo from Leinster

Ellipsis for Percussion Ensemble

Limerick Daydreams for Percussion Ensemble

Power Struggle for Percussion Ensemble

Caprice No. 1 in E Major (Paganini) for Solo Marimba

Caprice No. 5 in A minor (Paganini) for Solo Marimba

Commissioned by the Monroe Township Middle School Percussion Ensemble, Yale Snyder, Director
and Zachary Morolda, District Supervisor of the Department for the Applied Arts and Career Technology;
Monroe Township School District; Monroe Township, NJ 

INSTRUMENTATION
Bells & Xylophone (shared)
Vibraphone & Marimba (shared with Marimba 2)
Chimes & Xylophone
Marimba 1 (4-octave) & Vibraphone (shared)
Marimba 2 (4.3-octave) & Vibraphone (shared)
Timpani (4 drums)
Percussion 1 (Snare Drum, Triangle, Crash Cymbal)
Percussion 2 (4 Concert Toms, Wind Chimes, Crash Cymbal)
Percussion 3 (Suspended Cymbal, Hi-Hat)
Percussion 4 (Concert Bass Drum, Tam-Tam)
Percussion 5 [optional] (Shaker, Tambourine)
Percussion 6 [optional] (Woodblock, Cowbell)

Luminescence (perc ens 10-12) - Nathan Daughtrey

Movers & Shakers was commissioned by the Mukwonago High School Arts Department (WI) in celebration of their new fine arts building. The title was extracted from a verse from Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s popular poem, “Ode.” The first line of the poem has even found its way into pop culture with a brief quote by the original Willy Wonka, Gene Wilder. I think the essence of the poem perfectly captures the idea of celebrating a a fine arts program such as Mukwonago High School that has been built from the ground up – not just by one person, but by its administration, staff, parents, and students. The piece features three of the school's ensemble coming together as one – the wind ensemble, string orchestra, and choir.

Movers & Shakers (wind ensemble/string orchestra/choir) - Nathan Daughtrey

Commissioned by Josh Cvijanovic & the Cedar Ridge High School Wind Ensemble in celebration of the school's 15th anniversary

Towards Joy (concert band gr. 5) - Nathan Daughtrey

Performed by the University of North Texas Symphonic Band, conducted by Dennis W. Fisher

True Things (concert band gr. 4) - Nathan Daughtrey

University of North Texas Wind Symphony, conducted by Eugene Corporon for the 9th Volume of "Teaching Music Through Performance in Band"

Buy 3-CD Set

Gate City Snapshot (for concert band)

Bassoon

Percussion 1: Vibraphone (3-octave), Large Ribbon Crasher, Temple Blocks, Bongos, Splash Cymbal

Percussion 2: Marimba (5-octave), Small Ribbon Crasher, Machine Castanets, Muffled Floor Tom

PROGRAM NOTES
"House of Mirrors" was inspired by the Japanese folk tale “The House of 1,000 Mirrors.” At its simplest, the tale shows us that we get back what we put into the world.

"Long ago in small village, far far away, there was a place known as the House of 1,000 Mirrors. It was a unique house where the walls, the ceilings, the doors, and even the floors were made of mirrors.

One day, a small happy little dog heard about this place and decided to visit. When he arrived, he bounced happily up the stairs to the entrance of the house. He peeked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as he could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1000 other happy little dogs with their ears lifted high and their tails wagging just as fast as hid! He smiled greatly and greeted his new friends with joyous barks! He was answered with 1,000 great smiles and 1,000 barks that were just as warm and friendly as his. As he left the house, he thought to himself, “ WOW! This is a wonderful place. I will have to come back and visit often!”

In the same village, there was another little dog, who was not as happy as the first one, that decided to visit the House of Mirrors as well. He slowly climbed the stairs leading up to the entrance with his head hung low full of hesitation. As he entered the house, he found himself looking at 1,000 unfriendly, sad little dogs staring back at him. The dog froze in surprise and instinctively bared his teeth and growled at the reflections. He was horrified to witness the 1,000 dogs growl back at him and he scurried away in fear. As he left the house, he thought to himself, “Oh goodness that is a terrifyingly horrible place. I will never go back again!”

These ideas are represented musically in a number of ways. The piece breaks down into three sections – the entrance to the house as an introduction to the tonality and some of the thematic materials, the happy dog, and the unhappy dog. From the first notes of the piece, you can hear the reflections of the mirrors, which manifest themselves in many ways throughout.

"House of Mirrors" was commissioned by Lia Uribe, Matt Brusca, and Fernando Valencia.

House of Mirrors (trio for bassoon & 2 percussion) - Nathan Daughtrey

Commissioned by Across the Grain (Susan Nelson, bassoon & Jeff Barudin, percussion)

Triple Moon (duet for bassoon & marimba) - Nathan Daughtrey

Percussionist, composer, & educator Nathan Daughtrey (b. 1975) is a musical chameleon who uses his wide-ranging talents to adapt comfortably to a variety of environments. As a performing artist and clinician for Yamaha percussion, Vic Firth sticks & mallets, Zildjian cymbals, and Black Swamp accessories, he has performed and given masterclasses and clinics throughout the United States and across three continents. Nathan has recorded two solo marimba albums to date – "Spiral Passages" and "The Yuletide Marimba" – as well as several chamber music albums, including a recent collaboration with euphoniumist Brian Meixner titled "Praxis."

With over 60 publications for percussion ensemble, concert band, orchestra, chamber ensembles, and soloists as well as an ever-growing number of commissions, Nathan balances his performing with composing, and to great acclaim. He is the only composer in the history of the Percussive Arts Society International Composition Contest to procure both 2nd and 3rd place in the same year with his percussion ensemble works "Limerick Daydreams" and "Adaptation," respectively. Nathan's compositions appear regularly on performances at PASIC, the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the Bands of America National Percussion Festival, and in concert halls and other performance venues around the world. His works have also been recorded on several albums by respected performers, including the FSU Percussion Ensemble, the Showa Wind Symphony conducted by Ray Cramer, the RoseWind Duo, and Mississippi State University. Additionally, three of his compositions for wind ensemble have been featured in three volumes of "Teaching Music Through Performance in Band."

As an educator, Nathan served as a Visiting Lecturer of Percussion for three years at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where he taught applied percussion and conducted the Percussion Ensemble. He also served as a sabbatical replacement at the University of Oklahoma, where he taught undergraduate and graduate percussion students and conducted the world-renowned OU Percussion Orchestra. Dr. Daughtrey is currently a Visiting Lecturer of Percussion and Music Composition at High Point University (NC), where he teaches applied lessons, directs the percussion ensemble and works in collaboration with the School of Communication and Department of Dance.

Nathan remains active within the Percussive Arts Society serving as a member of the Composition Contest Committee, organizing the PASIC Fun Runs on behalf of the Health and Wellness Committee, and editing the keyboard percussion articles for Percussive Notes.

Popular tracks by Nathan Daughtrey