Percussion Concerto
(2021)
Percussion Concerto was written for percussionist Colin Currie and jointly commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University.
“Percussion has always been my first love in the musical world. The quartet was exciting, but taking it to the level of a full concerto with Colin was another thing altogether. A huge challenge. It is set to be recorded with the Liverpool Philharmonic.”
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World Premiere: March 25, 2022
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Percussionist Colin Currie
Conducted by Ludwig Wicki
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London.
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Not yet recorded
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Percussion has always been an important part of my life. Beginning in my travels though West Africa when I was only 18 years old, when I began collecting and learning to play ‘balafons’ (kind of like the African version of a marimba), through my years of playing in metal-based Indonesian Gamalan ensembles in my twenties, as well as building my own strange metal and wood percussion ensembles in my early theatrical performance years, it has always been a lifelong obsession.
Shortly after we premiered my first violin concerto, which I composed for violinist Sandy Cameron, I had a chance meeting with percussionist Colin Currie during a film scoring session in London. We decided it could be fun to create a piece together. I was excited to take another plunge into the challenge of another large symphonic composition and at the same time to really go back to my roots with wood and metal, mallets and sticks and hands, and to really let loose and have some fun with it. I also knew Colin was an extraordinary musician who would be great to collaborate with. Thankfully, SOKA University and the London Philharmonic Orchestra were eager to give us an opportunity to create this Concerto, and we’re grateful to everyone who made this possible.
Danny Elfman, January 2022