The Sunday In The Park With George opening really throws a lot at the percussionist at the beginning of the show. What you don't see, right in front of the camera, is that there are 5 roto-toms, directly above 5 concert toms.  That is what you are hearing near the beginning.  The inter-play between both instruments, complimented by a concert bass drum on the right side, timpani drums behind me., as well as 5 temple blocks on the left side.  This way, I had access to all the drum sounds, and just had to do a minor stretch to get to the timpani.  Then the part jumps to 4 mallet vibraphone for about 10 measures.  The it goes back to a hurried recapitulation of the beginning theme-adding in more timpani, and more bass drum. In this production, the orchestra was behind the stage, or better yet, behind the projection screen.  If you look up to the left, there was a huge screen that was the length of the stage.


Recorded live at the Arden Theatre Company, Philadelphia, PA