Seven in the Zone

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Description +
- I was thrilled when my dear friends Filip Korošec and Rasmus Hansson asked me if I’d be interested in composing a solo snare drum piece as an obligatory work for the Percussion Days Competition in Örebro, Sweden. This being my first opportunity to write a piece for such an event, I got creative straight away. As soon as we ended the call, I grabbed my sticks and began improvising to develop the basic idea. The piece came to life very naturally.
  
  Seven in the Zone is built around a few key ideas. First, the groove must be solid and constant throughout. I chose a 7/8 time signature because of my love for odd meters; it adds a layer of complexity to the piece but feels very satisfying when it's executed with a strong sense of groove.
  
  The opening of the piece adopts a traditional approach to snare drum performance—with the snares on and the playing focused solely on the drumhead, expressed through a wide range of dynamics. As the piece progresses, new sounds are gradually introduced, such as playing on the rim, rimshots, press rolls, switching to a timpani mallet and a brush etc. Throughout this section, the groove must remain steady and unshakable, connecting the diverse textures seamlessly. The conclusion brings all these elements together in an energetic and dynamic mashup.
  
  The result is a piece that balances technical precision with an expressive groove. It is both challenging and rewarding, offering performers the chance to showcase their technical abilities alongside their sense of rhythm and musicality.
Instrumentation +
- Snare Drum
About the composer +
- Žiga Petrič (b. 1994) is a percussionist, educator, composer, and music producer from Velenje, Slovenia. He studied percussion performance at the Academy of Music, University of Ljubljana, where he was mentored by Boris Šurbek and Simon Klavžar. During his studies, he also worked with Daniel Berg, Anders Åstrand, and Fridrik Duvling at Örebro University in Sweden. He graduated summa cum laude with a master’s degree in classical percussion in 2019.
  
  Primarily a percussion teacher, he is passionate about music education and sharing his expertise with young musicians. He began composing classical music as a personal project, focusing on percussion repertoire. His first composition, The Dance of Polyrhythms (2019), was performed as part of his master’s recital, where it was met with high acclaim. The piece was later selected as one of the works for the state percussion competition, TEMSIG, in the following year.
  
  Over time, his works—many dedicated to his students—gained recognition and have been performed at various concerts and music competitions. Encouraged by the positive reception of his compositions, he continues to expand his catalog, which now includes chamber music alongside solo percussion pieces.
Credits +
- Front Cover graphics and layout: Nicola Lee
  Photo: Janja Nagode
  Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark
  Copyright © Edition SVITZER
  www.editionsvitzer.com

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