MITOSIS

For percussion duet and dance obbligato.

Ian Callen
 MITOSIS
Performance Notes

The stage should be set up as follows:

Notes regarding the Drumming

The two percussionists should share one set of bongos (which should be affixed to a
stand). The two players are referred to as P1 and P2 in the piece. P1 should play on the high
drum while P2 plays on the low drum. Both players should use hard yarn mallets that produce a
warm but articulate tone. Sticks should not be used. As per the diagram, the bongos should be
arranged so that the players are facing each other, but neither has their back to the audience.
It is recommended that the percussionists listen to an in-ear metronome click throughout
the piece. This can be easily accomplished with a metronome, a headphone splitter, and two sets
of earbuds.

Notes regarding the Dance:

There should be two dancers. Some pre-planned choreography may be employed, but the
dance should have a largely improvisatory character. The dancers should explore the
phenomenon of mitosis in both a literal and figurative way. They should strive to portray the
following three core concepts:
● The number two
● Starting as one, then splitting apart.
● The contrast of opposites and the shifting of balance between them.
It is additionally worth noting that, as pictured in the stage diagram, the dancers should remain
somewhat distant from the percussionists and thus have less space on stage at their disposal.
They should also remain somewhat downstage at all times (as pictured).
 MITOSIS
percussion duet with dance obbligato Ian Callen
A q.=106

5 −− (both)
7 œ œ œ œ œ œ −− Repeat for 15-30 seconds
P1 moves on to 1 first,
P2 joins after another 15-30 seconds.
Ε

1 Change freely between the following cells; repeat as desired.

−− œ œ œ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ −− −− ‰ œ œ ‰ œ œ −−
Ι Ι Ι Ι

−− œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ ‰œ œ −− −− ‰ œ œ ‰ œ −−
Ι Ι

−− ‰ œ œ Œ œ −− −− œ œ Œ œ −− −− ‰œ œ œ œ ‰ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ −−
Ι Ι Ι Ι

2 P1 begins to play the following along with the cells from 1.

−− œ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ −−
2 2 4 4

3 P1 drops out, 10 seconds later, P2 begins to play the following:

−− œ œ œ œ œ œ −−

10 seconds later, P1 joins P2 (which is the beginning of B)

©Ian Callen Music, 2020 All Rights Reserved

 2 MITOSIS

÷ −− œ œ œ œ œ œ −−
(both)
P1 moves on to their part below.
P2 waits 5-10 seconds and does the same.

4 (repeat as desired but play in order)

−− =œ œ œ œ −− −− œ =œ œ œ −− −− œ œ =œ œ −− −− œ œ œ =œ −−
Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι
P1:

−− =œ œ œ œ −− −− œ =œ œ œ −− −− œ œ =œ œ −− −− œ œ œ =œ −−
Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι Ι
P2:

Both players play the following as soon as they are finished with 4:
(They should not move to 5 at the same time)

−− œ œ œ ‰ œ œ −− A few seconds after both players have arrived at 5,

P1 cues 6.

6 Repeat 4x each. Then move on to 7.

P1: −− =œ œ œ ‰ œ œ −− −− œ =œ œ ‰ œ œ −− −− œ œ =œ ‰ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ ‰ =œ œ −− −− œ œ œ ‰ œ =œ −−

P2: −− œ œ œ ‰ œ =œ −− −− œ œ œ ‰ =œ œ −− −− œ œ =œ ‰ œ œ −− −− œ =œ œ ‰ œ œ −− −− =œ œ œ ‰ œ œ −−
 MITOSIS 3

7 Repeat each measure as desired, but stay together.

−− œ œ œ œ œ =œ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ =œ −− −− ‘ −− −− =œ − Œ ‰ −− −− ‘ −−
4 4

−− =œ œ œ œ œ œ −− −− −− −− =œ œ œ œ −− −− −− −− =œ −
* P1 cues 8

‘ ‘ Œ ‰ −−
2 2

8
(Œ.=Œ)

3 −− =œ Œ Ó −−
(both)

3
Players move on to their respective codas (letter C)
separately, but within 15 seconds of each other. Measures
in the codas may be repeated as desired, but both
players should progress through their codas at a
relatively similar rate.

C Player 1's Coda:

−− œ Œ ‰ − œ ‰ − œ −− −− œ − œ ‰ − œ ‰ − œ −− −− œ œ − ‰ œ‰ − œ‰ − œ −− −− œ œ − ‰ œ‰œœ‰ − œ −− −− œ œ − ‰ œ‰œœ≈œœ −−
Θ Θ Ι Θ Θ Ι Θ Θ Ι Θ Ι
ο Crescendo to end.
−− œ œ − œ œ ‰œ œ ≈ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ ‰œ œ ≈ œ œ −− −− œ œ œœ œ ≈œœ œ ≈œ œ −− −− œœœœœœ≈œœœ≈œœ −−

−− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ −−

−− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ −−
If P2 is also playing a full bar of
16th-notes, you may cue 9 when
ready.
4 MITOSIS

Player 2's Coda:

−− œ − œ Œ Œ œ −− −− œ − œ ‰ œ Œ œ −− −− œ − œ ‰ œ ≈ œ − œ −− −− œ − œ ‰ œ œ ≈ œ − œ −− −− œ − œ ‰ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ −−
Ι Ι Ι Ι
ο Crescendo to end.
−− œ − œ ‰œ œ ≈œ œ œ œ −− −− œ − œ ‰œ œ ≈œœ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ ‰œ œ ≈œ œ œ œ œ −− −− œœ œ‰œ œ≈œ œœœœ œ −−

−− œ œ œ ‰ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ −−

−− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ −− −− œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ −−

P1 will cue 9.

32 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ =œ
(both)