The project began in fall 2023, when Brain Pocket was afforded a chance to work with students during weekly composition studio class time. We performed two contrasting pieces for percussion trio, followed by an open discussion on all things related to writing for percussion – from drums to mallets to accessories. This was pivotal in supporting our next step – announcing a call for scores for percussion trio works to be premiered and recorded in the spring.
Fast forward to the end of the fall semester, when we offered a series of reading and workshop sessions for composers interested in submitting works to the call for scores. This was a blast, with so much fulfilling experimentation and collaboration taking place between us and the composers. By January 2024, after the call for scores had ended, seven new works had been created for percussion trio, five of which were selected to be premiered later in the spring at our inaugural concert.
A major contributor to the success of this project was the support received from the Duderstadt Video Studio. Brain Pocket was accepted for a week of audio and video sessions in the studio to record each of the five selected works. With the aid of the composers, colleagues, and the video studio team, we managed to knock out one piece a day for five consecutive days – quite the marathon! Each piece had its own character and identity, and we couldn’t be happier that we were able to make creative choices in the studio that best fit the composers’ visions for their works.
A massive part of any composer’s career and study is the curation of their portfolio. High-quality video and audio recordings of original works are more and more an essential part of these portfolios, which are often required for festivals, applications, and competitions. As an ensemble we seek to support students through this project, and we hope that bringing these pieces to life in the Duderstadt Video Studio aids both our collaborators and their audiences. We also hope listeners enjoy hearing these pieces as much as we enjoyed playing them!
The New Works and Composers’ Comments
“Droplet,” by Micah Mooney
“I had such a great experience working with Brain Pocket, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity! They were incredible collaborators, offering feedback and delivering incredibly for the final performance. I’m especially thankful for the opportunity to get a studio video recording, which will be a strong asset in my portfolio going forward!”
—Micah Mooney, PhD ’27, music theory
“Serendipity: Dragons Have Escaped from the Large Hadron Collider,” by Jake Ellzey
“Working with Fitz, Olivia, and Jimmy on bringing “Serendipity” to life was incredible! I was able to learn so much about recording techniques at the Duderstadt Center. Not only was this project an invaluable learning experience, it was also an amazingly fun opportunity to work with my friends.”
—Jake Ellzey, MM ’25, composition
“On Your Marks!,” by Mikeila McQueston
“I had the opportunity to work with Brain Pocket over the course of several months to develop my percussion trio, “On Your Marks!” Brain Pocket’s members (Fitz, Olivia, and Jimmy) are the embodiment of a collaborative spirit. Thanks to their organization, open-mindedness, and musical expertise, it was a fantastic experience, and one I shall treasure.”
—Mikeila McQueston, DMA ’27, composition
“Sagittarius A*,” by Nicole Knorr
“Being a part of Brain Pocket’s call for scores was such a wonderful, enriching experience. I’m so grateful for the ensemble’s eagerness to experiment throughout the process, and I learned so much about writing for percussion. This project was amazing, and I’m so proud of the end result.”
—Nicole Knorr, MM ’24, composition
“Walk Spirit, Talk Spirit,” by Davis Reinhart
“This collaboration with Brain Pocket could not have been a more fun and rewarding experience. Fitz, Olivia, and Jimmy each brought their own individual flare to the final performance, which was perfect for the piece I wrote, giving them all a moment to shine on their own. All of them were up for trying out ideas and exploring the music I was working on during the process, making the composing more enjoyable to me while learning what they liked to play. The video and audio recording session was as fun and professional as you can get. Everything was organized so well and the Duderstadt team who helped put everything together was extremely well equipped to capture the music in the best and most exciting form possible. Whether it was the lighting, camera angles, or mix, you could tell all aspects of the finished product were handled with a considerable amount of attention to detail.”
—Davis Reinhart, BM ’24, composition