Isaac Raymond Smith
for Two Percussionists & Two Stagehands
(2022)
System Break II
Full score
Snare Drum
1 Person Running Lights
Plastic trash bin/barrel
Written for the 2022 Sō Percussion Summer Institute
2 Percussionists (see below for exact instruments)
2 wood slats
Plastic pail/bucket
2 plastic CD cases of slightly different sizes if possible
Rubber chicken or squeaky toy Mallets Needed: 2 sticks, 2 medium yarn mallets, 1 superball*
2 Bongos
1 plastic bike helmet
Percussion I
System Break II
Program Notes: This is the second installment of a series of pieces exploring what happens when we break down an established system. Whether that system is set up by the composer or by societal traditions and expectations, taking apart the system reveals musical properties and personal preconceptions that often go unnoticed
2 empty 2 liter bottles
2 Congas
2 broken down/flat boxes that will fit on a trap table
Cardboard box hooked up to kick pedal Mallets Needed: 2 sticks, 2 medium yarn mallets, 1 cello/bass bow, 1 superball*
Floor Tom
* Performers may consider using timbale sticks with moleskin wrapping on one end instead of sticks and yarn mallets for ease of transitions The wooden end may replace material played with sticks, and the wrapped end may replace material played with yarn
Instrumentation:
2 Stagehands
Kick Drum
Middle Tom Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Hi Hat
2 hard cover textbooks of different sizes
Percussion II
2 wooden bowls of slightly different sizes
Empty glass wine bottle or large beer bottle
Duration: 7 minutes
Middle center: Snare Drum/Bike Helmet
Middle left: Wood Slats/Textbooks
Bucket/Pail: Place on tom stand and tighten stand arms so it can be played like tom drum
Percussion I
Back center: Kick Drum/Large Cardboard Box
Front right (nestled between middle center and middle right): Medium Tom/Bucket
Large Cardboard Box: Place kick drum pedal next to it and place weight or something heavy inside drum so that box doesn’t tip over when struck by kick drum
Bike Helmet: Place on snare stand and tighten stand arms so it can be played like snare drum
Middle right: Congas/Two Liter Bottles
Glass Bottle: Use cymbal stand with a clamp around thicker part of neck
Trash Bin: Make slit in one side of pool noodle, then cut into 3 or 4 small segments. Place these around lip of trash bin so that when placed upside down, the lip is slightly suspended above the floor
Middle center: Floor Tom/Trash Bin
Back center: Hi Hat/Squeaker Toy
General Setup/Score Order: The arrangement of instruments on each player's staff does not necessarily reflect pitch, but rather the physical location of each instrument on stage. It is therefore recommended that each performer set up their instruments as follows:
Front right (nestled between middle center and middle right): Suspended Cymbal/Glass Bottle
Percussion II
Textbooks: Placed on trap table and played like drums
2 Liter Bottles: Mount with dual tom stand and clamps around necks of each bottle
Middle left: Wood Bowls/Small Cardboard Boxes
Staff Legend:
CD Cases: Placed on trap table and played like tiny drums
Small Cardboard Boxes: Placed on trap table and played like tiny drums
Siii mith System Break II Front Matter
Setup for Found Object Percussion Instruments:
Perc 1 Perc 2 Kick Drum/ Cardboard Box Low Slat/ Larger Textbook High Slat/ Smaller Textbook Snare Drum/ Bike Helmet Low Bongo/ CD Case 2 High Bongo/ CD Case 1 Susp Cymbal/ Glass Bottle Hi Hat Squeaky Toy Larger Bowl/ Box 2 Smaller Bowl/ Box 1 Floor Tom/ Trash Bin Low Conga/ Bottle 2 High Conga/ Bottle 1 Middle Tom/ Bucket
Middle right: Bongos/CD cases
Transition 6 [mm 89 91]; Both Stagehands
Both Stagehands walk out on stage, with Stagehands 2 carrying two 2 liter bottles mounted and clamped to a dual tom stand. Stagehand 1 carefully removes Percussion 2’s congas from the stand, and takes the larger conga backstage immediately Stagehand 2 replaces the congas with the two liter bottles, then takes the smaller conga and the conga stand backstage immediately. Both stagehands remove their left shoe upon returning to backstage area.
Transition 7 [mm 96 100]; Both Stagehands
Stagehand 1 walks on stage carrying a small trap table and two plastic CD cases. Stagehand 2 walks on stage carrying a squeaky toy carefully so as not to make any noise Stagehand 1 replaces Percussion 1’s two bongos with the trap table and sets the two CD cases down on the table Stagehand 1 then takes the bongos/stand to the backstage area. Stagehand 2 replaces Percussion 2’s hi hat/pedal with the squeaky toy, setting the toy on the ground where the hi hat pedal had been previously Stagehand 2 then takes the hi hat to the backstage area
Transition 1 [mm 18 26]; Stagehand 1
Transition 4 [m 59]; Both Stagehands; *Blackout*
Both Stagehands carry out upside down trash bin with pool noodle segments lining the lip. As quietly and quickly as possible, set down trash bin, move Percussion 2’s Bucket/Pail out of the way, then replace floor tom with trash bin Stagehand 1 returns floor tom to backstage area, while Stagehand 2 returns Bucket to its original place before also heading backstage. Upon returning to backstage area, both Stagehands roll up left pant leg, revealing long colorful socks that are mismatched with their right socks which should be black.
Transition 3 [mm 45 53]; Both Stagehands
Stagehand 1 walks out on stage, followed closely by Stagehand 2, carrying two small cardboard boxes of slightly different sizes Stagehand 1 removes Percussion 2’s two wooden bowls, taking them backstage immediately Stagehand 2 replaces the bowls with the boxes, then removes Percussion 2’s bucket and takes it backstage immediately.
Replace Percussion 2’s Medium Tom with Bucket/Pail that is on a percussion stand Remove tom from stage, and take off right shoe upon returning to backstage area.
Directions for Transitions:
The beginning of each transition is marked in the score, and the end of each transition is signified by a double barline Each Stagehand should move as quickly as possible without getting ahead of the score It may be helpful to have extra people backstage to watch the score while the stagehands move equipment.
iv Smith System Break II Front Matter
Transition 2 [mm 34 36]; Stagehand 2
Stagehand 1 carefully carries glass bottle that is clamped to a percussion stand onto stage. Stagehand 2 follows closely behind carrying bike helmet that is also on a percussion stand. Working together, move Percussion 1’s suspended cymbal out of the way, then replace Percussion 1’s snare drum with the bike helmet Next, replace suspended cymbal with glass bottle Stagehand 1 carry suspended cymbal offstage, followed closely by Stagehand 2 carrying snare drum.
Transition 5 [mm 83 87]; Both Stagehands
Walk out holding two textbooks under one arm. Grab Percussion 1’s two wood slats with other arm, then lay down books in their place Remove wood slats from stage, and take off right shoe upon returning to backstage area
The lights come back on, revealing a stage where the only things left are two textbooks on a trap table, two CD cases on another trap table, and a squeaky toy on the ground The percussionists and stagehands wait until applause begins to go back out on stage and bow.
Both Stagehands walk out on stage, with Stagehand 1 carrying a large cardboard box and Stagehand 2 carrying a weight or heavy objects with which to weigh down the box. Stagehand 1 sets the box down next to Percussion 1’s kick drum, removes the kick drum pedal from the drum, and takes the kick drum to the backstage area Stagehand 2 places the box where the kick drum had previously been so that the kick drum pedal will hit the box squarely, then places the weight/heavy objects in the box to keep it in place. Stagehand 2 then removes Percussion 1’s glass bottle/stand and takes it to the backstage area
Transition 8 [m 103]; Both Stagehands; *Blackout*
Both Stagehands walk out on stage and together remove Percussion 2’s trash bin/pool noodles, taking it to the backstage area.
Sv mith System Break II Front Matter
Transition 14 [mm 135 136]; Both Stagehands; *Blackout right as Stagehands pick up Percussion 1* Both Stagehands walk out on stage and carefully pick up Percussion 1, one from under the arms and one from around the ankles/calves. Both Stagehands carefully take Percussion 1 to the backstage area and resist the urge to laugh, even if the audience is doing so
Transition 9 [mm. 104 113]; Stagehand 1 Stagehand 1 walks out on stage and removes Percussion 2’s 2 liter bottles/stand, taking them backstage. Meanwhile, backstage, Stagehand 2 is putting on a funny costume of their choosing
Transition 11 [mm 122 126]; Both Stagehands
Both Stagehands walk out on stage (now both wearing their costumes). Stagehand 1 removes places Percussion 1’s kick drum pedal and weights in the large cardboard box, then takes all of them to the backstage are Stagehand 2 stacks Percussion 2’s small cardboard boxes inside of each other, places Percussion 2’s mallets inside the boxes, then takes Percussion 2’s entire trap table with the boxes and mallets on top of it to the backstage area.
Both Stagehands walk out on stage and carefully pick up Percussion 2, one from under the arms and one from around the ankles/calves Both Stagehands carefully take Percussion 2 to the backstage area and resist the urge to laugh, even if the audience is doing so
Transition 10 [mm. 118 121]; Stagehand 2 Stagehand 2 walks out on stage (now wearing the funny costume) and removes Percussion 1’s bike helmet/ stand, taking it to the backstage area Meanwhile, backstage, Stagehand 1 is putting on a funny costume of their choosing.
Transition 13 [mm. 132 134]; Both Stagehands
(End)
Transition 12 [mm 130 131]; Both Stagehands
Smith System Break II Front Matter
Scrape with butt of yarn or stick
(Perc II only) Immediately close hi hat on attack
(Perc II only) Lift foot off of squeaker
Llllllllllllllllllllll ::::::::::::::
Mime playing instrument as if it hadn't been removed from stage
Drag superball over surface of drum/object
(Perc II only) Leave hi hat open after attack
(Perc II only) Squeeze squeaker down with foot
scrape vi
Repeat pattern for indicated amount of time
Notation Guide:
Full score Written for the 2022 Sō Percussion Summer Institute
System Break II
Isaac Raymond Smith
Copyright © 2022 Isaac R Smith Music
Energetic, Setting the Tone, = 136 142 Percussion 1 Percussion 2 (3+2) Bongos w/ sticks Sn Dr. scrape Sus Cym. w/ sticks Fl Tom. H Hat Med Tom. (rim) Congas sub. Perc 1 Perc. 2 Kick (3+2) Slats scrape (3+2) Bowls 3 Perc 1 Perc 2 (3+2+2) (3+2) to yarn8
Perc. 1 Perc 2 (on rims) w/ back of yarn (2+2+3) scrape (3+2) w/ yarn to yarn 11 Perc 1 Perc 2 (2+3)14 Perc 1 Perc. 2 Transition 1 Begins: Stagehand 1, Slats>Books; take off shoe 17 sub Perc 1 Perc. 2 (3+2) (2+3) w/ back of yarn 21 2 Smith System Break II
sub sub Perc 1 Perc 2 (2+3) w/ yarn 24 sub Perc 1 Perc 2 (2+2+3) (2+3) 27 Much Slower, = 52 56 Perc. 1 Perc 2 (2+3) scrape w/ butt of yarn (3+2) (snares off) w/ hands to bow to superball 31 Perc 1 Perc 2 Transition 2 Begins: SH 2, Med Tom>Bucket; take off shoe w/ stick of superball h h 34 S3 mith System Break II
Subito Tempo I, = 136 142 sub sub Perc. 1 Perc. 2 (2+3) to sticks Books (3+2) to sticks Bucket 37 sub Perc 1 Perc 2 (2+3) (2+3) 41 Perc 1 Perc. 2 Transition 3 Begins: Both SHs, SD>Helmet; Sus Cym.>Glass Bottle 44 Perc 1 Perc 2 (3+2)47 4 Smith System Break II
sub sub Perc. 1 Perc 2 (2+3) 51 Subito Tempo II, = 52 56 Perc. 1 Perc 2 to brushes Glass Bottle to superball drop superball onto conga and let bounce h 54 Perc 1 Perc 2 to yarn Helmet Transition 4: Blackout; Both SHs; Fl Tom >Trash Bin ~20" h 57 Subito Tempo I, = 136 142 sub Perc. 1 Perc 2 (2+3) w/ sticks (3+2) Trash Bin (side of bin) 60 S5 mith System Break II
sub sub sub Perc 1 Perc 2 (2+3+2) (3+2) 63 sub Perc 1 Perc 2 (2+2+3) 66 sub sub Perc 1 Perc 2 (3+2) (3+3+3) 69 sub Perc. 1 Perc 2 (3+2) 72 6 Smith System Break II
sub sub Perc. 1 Perc 2 (3+2) 74 Perc 1 Perc 2 to yarn 78 Perc. 1 Perc 2 to yarn Transition 5 Begins: Both SHs; Bowls>Boxes; Bucket>Off (on rims) w/ back of yarn h h 82 molto ritardando Perc 1 Perc 2 to superball85 S7 mith System Break II
Tempo II, = 52 56 Perc 1 Perc. 2 (3+2) Transition 6 Begins: Both SHs, Congas>Two Liters; Other shoes off to superball h h 88 Perc 1 Perc. 2 (3+2) (2+3) 92 Perc 1 Perc. 2 *From here to end there may be certain actions that make no sound The player should still perform the action (3+2) Transition 7 Begins: Both SHs, Bongos>CDs; H Hat>Squeaky Toy to bow (2+3) Boxes Two-Liters h 95 Perc 1 Perc 2 w/ stick of superball h h 98 8 Smith System Break II
Subito Tempo I, = 136 142 sub Perc 1 Perc. 2 (2+3) to sticks Transition 8: Blackout; Both SHs, Kick>Cardboard Box; Glass Bottle>Off Lllllllllll 20" Repeat pattern in box for duration of given time; do not synchronize Squeaky Toy Hhhhhhhhhhhh ~20" 101 Perc 1 Perc 2 (3+2) Transition 9 Begins: SH 1, Two Liters>Off; SH 2 puts on costume CDs w/ sticks Cardboard Box w/ sticks (mime) 104 sub Perc 1 Perc 2 (2+3) 107 sub. sub. Perc 1 Perc. 2 (mime) 111 S9 mith System Break II
sub molto ritard Perc. 1 Perc. 2 114 Tempo II, = 52 56 Perc 1 Perc 2 (3+2) Transition 10 Begins: SH 2, Helmet>Off; SH 1 puts on costume 117 Perc 1 Perc 2 pick up superball h 119 Subito Tempo I, = 136 142 Perc 1 Perc 2 Transition 11 Begins; Both SHs, Cardboard Box>Off; Boxes>Off122 10 Smith System Break II
a tempo, = 52 56 sub Perc. 1 Perc 2 (3+2) to superball to superball 124 Perc 1 Perc 2 (3+2) h 127 Perc 1 Perc. 2 Transition 12 Begins: Both SHs, Percussion 2>Off h h 130 Perc. 1 (stomping on floor) Transition 13 Begins: Both SHs, Trash Bin>Off to brushes 132 Perc. 1 Transition 14 Begins: Both SHs, Percussion 1>Off (Blackout as soon as stagehands pick up Percussion I) 135 S11 mith System Break II