Monomyth, by Noah Gorman

Monomyth. (n.) A cyclical journey or quest undertaken by a mythical hero. The hero's journey has been told time and time again throughout human history, in written, visual, and musical form. Monomyth seeks to explore this journey as a work for solo steel pan and mixed chamber ensemble in three parts. After a ramping introduction, our hero (played by the solo steel pan) begins their Departure, initially refusing their call to heroism but being pulled in nonetheless, leaving life as they knew it before for the exciting adventure ahead. As things get more dangerous for our hero, they descend into the Initiation, the deepest crevices of the adventure, and ultimately the hero disappears for some time during their darkest hour in the abyss. From the depths, our hero emerges and soars into their triumphant Return! With a final battle and victory, the music screeches to a halt as the story comes to a dramatic close.

Number of Players: 9

Instrumentation: Solo Steel Pan, Flute, Alto Saxophone, Horn in F, Percussion 1 (Vibraphone, Glockenspiel), Percussion 2 (Snare Drum, Crash Cymbals), Percussion 3 (Bass Drum, Brake Drum), Piano, Violincello

Difficulty: Intermediate-Advanced

Duration: 5:34

Cover Artwork: J. A. Pinzón