Mikula-Characteristic Signs of Stress (SP)-B/C/V/X/3M

Characteristic Signs of Stress by Philip Mikula for percussion ensemble. This piece, composed for PASIC 2004, is four minutes of non-stop playing by all players. The motivation behind this piece comes from the sheer stress resulting from the logistics of assembling and preparing for a showcase performance, combined with only five hours of sleep a night, no days off from the rehearsal hall, and no strenuous gym workouts. Not only does this piece sound stressed but as you watch each performer execute their part you should see signs of stress in their movements, both between and around the instruments. This piece is not for the tame at heart!

Instrumentation:
Player 1 - xylophone, vibraphone
Player 2 - marimba
Player 3 - marimba
Player 4 - marimba
Player 5 - small Chinese cymbal, large Chinese cymbal, opera gong, temple blocks, small slap stick, shekere, 6 pitch whale drum/log drum, low floor tom
Player 6 - glockenspiel, chimes, cowbell, large mixing bowl, concert snare drum, timbales, low floor tom
Player 7 - splash cymbal, medium suspended cymbal, hi-hat, afuche, bell tree, four brake drums
Player 8 - medium suspended cymbal, large suspended cymbal, hi-hat, large gong, large and medium bell plates, vibraslap, flexatone, concert snare drum, large concert bass drum
Player 9 - small suspended cymbal, medium suspended cymbal, sizzle cymbal, six roto toms (or concert toms), large slap stick
Player 10 - splash cymbal, small trash cymbal, medium Chinese cymbal, wind gong, claves, glass jar, bongos, medium floor tom
Player 11 - large suspended cymbal, wind chimes, slide whistle, 5 concert toms
Player 12 - tuned gongs (F, A, B, C, Db, D, Eb, E), five aluminum pipes, large concert bass drum