FACES IN THE CROWD


Composer Captures Industry Spirit With Found Percussion


Composer John Mackey didn’t set out to write a theme for the metalcasting industry when he wrote “Foundry.” His main goal was to create a musically interesting piece that middle school and high school bands could play using found percussion. The result, however, does invoke plenty of metalcasting imagery.


Found percussion celebrates the notion that any item could be created into a percussion instrument.


“In some cases, I was specific about what instrument to play,” Mackey said. “With many of the parts though, I only described the sound I wanted and allowed the percussionist to be creative in finding the best instrument to make the sound I described.” Between 10 and 12 percussionists are required to play “Foundry.” Mackey holds a Master of Music degree from the Juilliard School and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied with John Corigliano and Donald Erb. His works have been performed at the Sydney Operat House, Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to name a few, and he has received numerous commissions, grants and awards. Mackey says he particularly enjoys writing music for dance and for symphonic winds, and he has focused on those mediums for the past few years.


MELTING POINT


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