"Moto Perpetuo" by Dwayne Rice

"Moto Perpetuo", composed by Dwayne Rice for large percussion ensemble. **World Premiere
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Brian Zator, performed their 2023 PASIC Showcase Concert, as one of three winners of the prestigious PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition.
Moto Perpetuo (2023) is a high-octane musical fantasy for large percussion ensemble that explores the concept of perpetual motion and the possibilities of AI-generated music. While the piece was not AI-generated, the composer considered what could happen if you gave AI a few prompts and asked it to improvise a new piece.
Beginning with a single note, the piece catapults into a frenetic interplay of shifting melody, harmony, and tonal center, often teetering on the verge of collapse. At a pivotal moment, the music compresses into a swirling mass of twelve-tone harmony, losing all sense of tonal center, leaving only the constant eighth-note rhythm intact. This “system reset” serves as a springboard for the music to reconstruct itself, culminating in a triumphant ending.
Nodding to famed works of the same name, like Paganini's violin showpiece, Moto Perpetuo also functions as a musical allegory for the constant whirlwind of life experiences-capturing moments of joy, struggle, and triumph. In doing so, it pays homage to a long-standing musical tradition and pushes its boundaries, serving as a testament to the possibilities and complexities of modern music and life.
Video used with permission. The Percussive Arts Society (PAS) is the world’s largest percussion organization, with nearly 6,000 members in over 80 Chapters across the United States and around the globe. PAS hosts the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) annually, featuring the top names in drumming and percussion. This video is from PASIC 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana, November 8-11, 2023. For more information on PAS and PASIC, visit www.pas.org/ and www.pasic.org/, and subscribe to the PAS RUclips channel / @percussiveartssociety