When the Sun Goes Down

Item details

Description +
- Contact Edition Svitzer on mail@editionsvitzer.com to obtain accompaniment track Duration: approx. 6 min.
  
  Preface
  
  When the Sun Goes Down is a piece for multi-percussion and tape (especially for hand-percussion or hand-drums). Although there is a instruments set-up position below, but it is still open for different kinds of set-ups or instruments. Even, it is more open for the player, he/she can play as what is on the score, and also can improvise from the beginning to the end with the tape.
  
  The piece is dedicated to my friend Shiqing ZHONG.
Instrumentation +
- Required Instruments
  
  Shaker
  Finger Bell (Tibet Bell)
  2 Wind Chimes
  2 Splash Cymbals
  Bass Drum
  Djembe
  3 Congas
  2 Bongos
  Doumbek
About the composer +
- Heng LIU is the principal percussion of the China National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra, executive director of China Percussion Association, artist of MEINL Percussion, MEINL Cymbals, Innovative Percussion, Marimba One, and Remo.
  
  Liu studied percussion from childhood with his father Yaguang LIU, professor of percussion at Xi 'an Conservatory of Music. In 2005, Liu was admitted to the Central Conservatory of Music. He studied with professor Gang LIU and professor Biao LI successively and obtained bachelor's and master's degrees. By the time he was 18, Liu had won the first prize in the National Youth Percussion Competition. Liu was a percussion jury of the Italian International Percussion Competition, where he also held master classes and special concerts. He also judges the annual International Network Percussion Competition and National Youth Percussion Competition.
  
  Between 2017 to 2019, Liu embarked on his improvisation and interactive percussion concert "Give me one hour" tour. The tour hit many major Chinese cities including Tianqiao Art Center in Beijing, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Xi 'An concert hall, Shijiazhuang Center for the Performing Arts, etc. Liu performed entirely improvised sets based on interaction with the audience, bringing concertgoers a brand new musical experience. 
  
  So far, Liu has published two albums: Percussion Visionary --Heng LIU Percussion Concert and DRUMS, an original album released by "Hei Chao" Duo with renowned drummer Yanchao LI. He also writes a personal column Heng LIU Said in music weekly.
  
   As a percussionist, Liu has traveled to various music festivals around the world. These include: Italian International Percussion Competition and Festival, Greek International Percussion Competition and Festival, NCPA International Percussion Festival, Beijing International Electronic Music Festival, Beijing Modern Music Festival, Jazz Shanghai Music Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, MIDI Festival and so on.
  
  In the meanwhile, Liu has created more than 30 works, including percussion ensemble piece "The General", "Memory", "Face2Face", percussion and electronic music "Delay", "Percumotion", percussion solo "Rain the Blind Monk", "Wild LEO ", "Poem" and many more. In 2016, his Chinese Traditional Percussion solo piece "Gazing on Mountain TAI" won the 1st prize of China Traditional Music Festival - CCOM ethnic Percussion works collection competition.
  
  In 2019, Heng LIU won "Best Work Awards" and "Best All-round Percussionist" of 2019 Drummmer's Ceremony.
Reviews +
- Review (Percussive Notes, February 2025)
  
  Focusing specifically on hand percussion, “When the Sun Goes Down” is a work for solo multiple percussion and tape. The piece is approximately six minutes long and was premiered by Shiqi Zhong (for whom the piece is dedicated) at Carnegie Hall in December of 2019. While written predominantly for hand drums and percussion, the composer states that the work is open to different instruments as the performer sees fit. To that end, even the written music has several areas where the performer is encouraged to improvise. The composer states that the performer “can play as what is on the score and also can improvise from the beginning to the end with the tape.”
  
  The most challenging aspect of the piece would be the variety of time signatures. Performers will need to navigate different meters, but rarely are these mixed, with sections and phrases usually sticking to a single meter before changing to another. At measure 180 an optional vibraphone part (which mimics a synthesizer part in the tape accompaniment) is introduced. Performers are given the option to play this part or stay with hand drums and ad lib on a tumbao part in 7/4. After this section the performer is expected to return to the hand drums to finish out the piece, improvising until the last four measures.
  
  “When The Sun Goes Down” is an advanced piece that would be appropriate for undergraduate or graduate recitals as well as professional players. Performers looking to add some hand drum colors and improvisation to their programs might find what they’re looking for with this piece.
  
  —Brian Nozny
Credits +
- Front Cover graphics and layout: Ronni Kot Wenzell
  Photo: NCPA Orchestra
  Printed in Denmark
  Copyright © Edition SVITZER

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