Crossing the Threshold by Chad Heiny

Crossing the Threshold is an intricate work by Chad Heiny for 11 percussionists and piano. It symbolizes the popular narrative concept of “The Hero’s Journey” in which a hero departs on an adventure, triumphs through crisis, and ultimately returns enlightened and transformed by the experience. While not entirely programmatic, its arc also suggests the ongoing journey of a talisman – an object passed along from person to person, and generation to generation.

A richly orchestrated piece for intermediate-advanced ensembles, performers must frequently maintain independent lines that serve to weave a broader musical tapestry. Special techniques like bowed vibraphones, crotales performed like finger cymbals in a variety of ways, and numerous energetic, drummy interjections ultimately create a wide spectrum of colors representative of contemporary percussion composition.