Leonard-Ex Machina (SP)-2B/V/C/Cro./X/2M/BM/4T/P

Ex Machina by Stanley Leonard for percussion octet. This piece is a philosophical statement concerning life at the end of the twentieth century. Humankind lives in a world surrounded by machines of every character. Machines dominate the fabric of existence and survival. We shape and are shaped by all that is around us. However, within this environment the human spirit triumphs in ways not provided by the machinations of intellect or device. Within us there is a greater spirit that breaks out with dancing and joy. Our spirits possess harmonic, triumphant possibilities, which grow and prosper in the power of love.

Instrumentation:

Player 1 - bells, snare drum, four dobachi
Player 2 - xylophone, bass drum, bells, crotales (two octaves - can be substituted with a vibraphone)
Player 3 - chimes, field drum, claves
Player 4 - vibraphone, bass drum, four hi tom toms
Player 5 - marimba, four low tom toms
Player 6 - suspended cymbal, pair of crash cymbals, mark tree, bass marimba
Player 7 - large tam tam, suspended cymbal, sock cymbal, four temple blocks, marimba
Player 8 - four wood drums (must be large - four tom toms with wooden disks on the heads may be used)