Trio by Mitchell Beck

Mitchell Beck wrote his Trio for percussion with the goal of composing a piece that uses relatively inexpensive instruments and has a compact setup. Some of the instruments used are “found instruments” like cans, glass bottles, and planks of wood. The rest of the instruments are more typical to the percussion family like woodblocks, tambourines, shakers, and cowbells. The musical material of Trio consists of a disjunct groove that is interrupted by complex rhythmic ideas and odd time signatures. The focus on different players shifts throughout the piece too, keeping the players and the audience on their toes.