Percussion Studies program director Jonathan Haas, the NYU Percussion Ensemble, and composer/percussionist Thomas Kozumplik have collaborated on the album Child of the Earth, released on the Music Starts from Silence label. Commisioned by Professor Haas for the ensemble, Child of the Earth is a large-scale work for percussion orchestra in four parts.
The scale of Child of the Earth is unique in today’s environment where portability is key. All within the framework of a romantic symphony, percussionists are asked to play multiple instruments and sing. The 16-member chamber orchestra mixes marimbas, vibraphones, bells, chimes, piano, xylophone, Thai gongs, timpani, drum kit, more drums, cymbals, gongs, voices, and small percussion.
"It is rare that an epic composition like Child of the Earth emerges from within the percussion ensemble repertoire in our modern times of compositionally downsizing to accommodate portability," remarked Professor Haas.
"Thomas Kozumplik has captured the grandeur, expressive qualities, and subtle intricacies of the percussion orchestra, heard rarely in works by celebrated composers including Charles Ives, Percy Grainger, Alberto Ginastera, Charles Wuorinen, and Gunther Schuller. For any percussion ensemble music director who is committed to bringing forward works of great importance and significance, Child of the Earth must be at the top of the list of exceptional and provocative works for percussion orchestra."
"Thomas Kozumplik has captured the grandeur, expressive qualities, and subtle intricacies of the percussion orchestra, heard rarely in works by celebrated composers including Charles Ives, Percy Grainger, Alberto Ginastera, Charles Wuorinen, and Gunther Schuller. For any percussion ensemble music director who is committed to bringing forward works of great importance and significance, Child of the Earth must be at the top of the list of exceptional and provocative works for percussion orchestra."
Haas was initially interested in performing a work of Kozumplik’s for percussion, keyboards, voices, and samples. Although the project didn’t happen, the conversation continued, and after Haas attended the New York premiere of Loop 2.4.3’s Time-Machine_music, a partnership was solidified. At their next meeting, Haas asked Kozumplik to write a piece for the Percussion Ensemble, and they both agreed it should be a work of grand scale, a symphony performed by an orchestra of percussionists.
Kozumplik visited NYU regularly from January to April 2017, listening to rehearsals and giving/receiving feedback.