Gottry-Toy Box-P

Toy Box is based on the idea to create a multi-percussion solo utilizing primarily small percussion "toys" and incorporating the programmatic elements of a child playing with the toys in his Toy Box. The piece begins with the opening of the toy box. The child sorts through the toys he has to choose from and selects one. The lid is closed and play begins with the chosen toy. The child quickly tires of that toy and opens the lid again to search for a new one. The new toy is selected, the lid closed, and play resumes with the two chosen toys. Again, the child tires of those two toys, lifts the lid, and removes all of the remaining toys. He experiments a little with the new selections, then quickly resumes his play incorporating all of his toys. At this point, the creativity and variety of how he can play with these toys begins to develop outside the structure and form of the original play. After a little while, the original pattern returns, but with a slight flourish of an ending before tiredness begins to take its toll. The lid opens as the child quickly collects the items back into the toy box before collapsing for an afternoon nap!

-Josh Gottry

Number of Players: 2
Difficulty: Grade 5
Instrumentation:

Player I: Tmbourine, 2 Woodblocks, Bongos, Cowbell, Splash Cymbal

Josh Gottry's (b. 1974) first composition, Irrelevant for solo marimba, earned him an ASCAP Young Composer Competition grant in 1995. Since that time, he has been selected for seven ASCAP Plus awards and has created over thirty published works that have been performed extensively at universities, junior high and high schools, and multiple national conferences. Mr. Gottry earned his BM in Percussion Performance at Northern Arizona University and his MM in Composition at Arizona State University. He is currently an adjunct professor of music at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, teaching percussion and composition as well as courses in music history and theory. Additionally, he maintains a private percussion studio and performs regularly throughout Arizona as a soloist and participant in various local ensembles.

Mr. Gottry is a member of the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) and the American Society of Composers, Authors, & Publishers (ASCAP). He is a clinician for Mike Balter Mallets, Pro-Mark Sticks, and Yamaha Percussion. Mr. Gottry served six terms as the Vice President for the Arizona State Chapter of PAS and is currently a member of the PAS Education and Composition Committees. He has been published several times in Percussive Notes and presented a keyboard percussion clinic at PASIC 2007.