Waltz of the Insects

by Alejandro Gonzalez

Medium-Easy Concert Percussion

3-5+ Players

Minimum instrumentation:

• Glockenspiel or vibraphone

• Marimba (low A)

May expand to include any of the following:

• Xylophone

• Additional marimbas, glockenspiels, and/or vibraphones

• Drumset (kick drum, snare drum, 2 toms, cymbal)

• Drums — bass drum, snare drum, 2 toms

• Cymbals — suspended cymbal

• Accessories — triangle, tambourine

Waltz of the Insects by Alejandro Gonzalez is a flexible mallet trio with optional percussion parts. The musicians get to assume the role of different “insects” joining the same ballroom dance as they pass the melody from player to player in a waltz feel.

The piece was conceived to give younger players the chance to make music together in a chamber setting. While it is at minimum a mallet keyboard trio, the optional percussion parts are there for a more comprehensive sound and are playable by two to four players. More mallet keyboard parts and/or a piano may also be added for extra dimension if the players and equipment allow.

Waltz of the Insects ships as a fully bound score and includes individual parts in PDF format for either printing or tablet viewing.