Contemplation by Matthew Coley

Contemplation was originally written in 2004 as a dance and percussion collaboration. The choreographer I was collaborating with was after a piece of music that exhibited a clear beat for the dancers but had multiple sections and moods to work with. The percussion parts were written with limited resources in mind. I was teaching at various schools throughout Chicago and was inspired to write interesting and contemplative music that could be performed in most music school situations. Over the years the piece has proven to be very successful as a concert piece, however dance is always a welcomed addition to my music. Contemplation is dedicated to the Iowa State University Percussion Ensemble.