(b. 1947)
Michael Horwood was born in Buffalo, New York in 1947. He studied music composition and theory at the State University of New York at Buffalo with Lejaren Hiller, Lukas Foss, and Istvan Anhalt. In 1971, he moved to Canada and from 1972-2003 was a professor of music and humanities at Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto. During the latter half of the 1970s, Horwood formed Convergence, an improvisation ensemble in which he played piano and percussion. In 2003, he retired from teaching and moved with his wife to Cowley, Alberta. Horwood’s works number more than seventy compositions. He has written for conventional ensembles, unusual instrumental combinations and even flexible scoring. Among his most successful works have been those which involve extra-musical concepts such as his chamber works Birds (1979) and Nervous Disorder (1988), the electroacoustic work Motility (revised 1986) and the orchestral works Amusement Park Suite (1986), National Park Suite (1991) and Symphony No. 2, Visions of a Wounded Earth (1995).
Michael Horwood Composition Timpani and Percussion Requirements
Amusement Park Suite
Timpani + 3 percussion
Glockenspiel, triangle, suspended cymbal, clash cymbals, hi-hats, tambourine, ratchet, tom tom, snare drum, orchestral bass drum, tam tam, assorted effects for movement 4
__________________________________________________________________________________
Intravariations
Timpani + 3 percussion
Glockenspiel, triangle, tambourine, cow bell, clash cymbals, suspended cymbal, maracas, güiro, wood block, wooden plank (a large board with deep resonance struck with a carpenter's hammer), snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, tam tam
__________________________________________________________________________________
National Park Suite
Timpani + 2 percussion
1) glockenspiel, suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, tambourine, triangle, wood block, vibraslap, snare drum, cardboard box (medium size) with five or six marbles sealed inside, cardboard (large sheet, approximately 12 x 17 inches, corrugated on one side and scraped with coarse sandpaper), tam tam, 2) xylophone, orchestral bass drum, clash cymbals, tambourine, suspended cymbal, cardboard box
Parts are designed to be played by one player each, though an extra player could also be used to divide the parts further. The following extra effects are also needed for each of the three parts:
- An un-mounted swish cymbal (for Movement 3) and a length of small gauge metal chain or beads (for Movement 4)
2. A 15 inch cedar shim (for Movement 3) and a length of medium size chain link of approximately 18 inches (for Movement 4)
3. A small, headless tambourine and a pair of light-weight maracas (for Mvt4)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Six Chromosomes
Timpani + 4 percussion
Glockenspiel, xylophone, glass chimes, triangle, tambourine, wood block, wood claves, slapstick, 5 temple blocks, castanets, 2 wood drums, wooden slat (board), ratchet, maracas, snare drum, 4 tom toms, tenor drum, bass drum, 5 cow bells, thunder sheet, suspended cymbal, bass bow, tam tam
__________________________________________________________________________________
Symphony No 1
Timpani + 1 percussion
Glockenspiel, xylophone, tubular bells, triangle, finger cymbals, suspended cymbal, tambourine, snare drum, tam tam, orchestral bass drum
__________________________________________________________________________________
Symphony No. 2, “Visions of a Wounded Earth”
Timpani + 2 percussion
Xylophone, triangle, tambourine, large and small suspended cymbals, clash cymbals, wood block, bongos, snare drum, orchestral bass drum, tam tam
__________________________________________________________________________________
Symphony No. 3, “Andromeda”
Timpani + 3 percussion + Drum Kit
Glockenspiel, tubular bells, xylophone, vibraphone, triangle, tambourine, suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, clash cymbals, brake drum, wood block, wood claves, güiro, gourd rattle, 4 tom toms, snare drum, tenor drum, orchestral bass drum, tam tam.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Three Interludes
Timpani + 2 percussion
Triangle, tambourine, suspended cymbal, snare drum
__________________________________________________________________________________