Claptacular

Description

Players: 6

Instrumentation: YOU!

‘Claptacular’ is a Body Percussion piece for percussion sextet, written for the 2012 Craptacular event at the Queensland Conservatorium. Pun intended (I got a lot of groans out of this one).

It was written for Ba da Boom Percussion (the conservatorium’s percussion ensemble) as one of my first attempts at writing for body percussion. It was wonderful to work with the ensemble because of their talent in reading music and rhythm, and their great stage presence. It would have looked much different if it was performed in a serious concert setting, and that’s why I think it was really suited to this particular event.

There are 5 major sounds: Stomp, Patsch (thigh), Chest hit, Clap and Click, and the performers are encouraged to add vocalisations.

Because it is such a physical piece, I would encourage the performers to add in choreography and to exercise the power of choice in terms of sticking (‘handings’ and ‘footings’) and the choice between standing and sitting. The performers may also experiment with visual mediums like talcum powder and other sound choices like using toy hammers instead of hands and choosing extremely thick shoes. Also take into consideration your chosen venue in the context of foot stomps, it may be wise to form a little stage, or even to mic the performance.