JENSEN L.
THOMASSIE
DISTRACTIONS
FOR SOLO SNARE DRUM
AND ELECTRONICS
Distractions
for solo snare drum and electronics
by Jensen L. Thomassie (b. 2001)
2023
5'00"
Program Notes
Distractions for solo snare drum and electronics centers around the impact that modern technology has
had on social norms and development in the world. The piece takes samples from computers, phones,
and a variety of apps to create a sonic environment that encapsulates the distracted state we find
ourselves in within our lives due to the abundance of social media and other technological advances.
For more information:
[Link]
Notation Key
Setup Diagram
snare drum
upside-down snare drum
with steel snare gut splash
cymbal
m. 90
Distractions Jensen L. Thomassie
for solo snare drum and electronics
= 130
A
2-bar count in
rllr
5 6
5
26 3 3 3 3 6
r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l R l R l l R l R l l R l r r l l r l r r l l R
31
R l r l r l r l r l l r l l r l r r l r r l r l l r l l r l R l R l r l r l r l r l R l r l r l r L r l r l r l R l r l r l R l
5
35
r l R l r l r l R l r l R l r l r l r l r l R L r l r l r l r l r l R l r l r l r l r l l r l l r l r l r l r l R l r l r l r l r r l
3 6
40 6
r L r l R l r l r L R l r r l r l r l r l R l r r l l r l r r l l r l R R r l l r l l r l r l r l r l R l r l r l r l r r l l
44 3 3 3 3 3
6
6
R l R R l l R L r L L r r L R l r r l l r l r l r r l l r l R l r R R r l l r l l r l r r l l r l r r l l R l R R l l R L r
53
48 3 3 3 3
6 6 3 3 3
LLrrLRl r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r r l l r l r r l l RLRlRRl lRlRRl l r l RlRRl lRLrLLr rLRl r l r l r l r l r l r l rL R
Copyright © 2023 Jensen L. Thomassie
2 Distractions
54 3 3 3 3 3 3
l r r l r l r l r l r l l r r R r l R l r r l R l r l r l r l r l r l r l
59 3 3 3 3 3 3
r l l r l l r l l r l r l l r l r l r l r l r l r l R r l R R l r l r l r l R r l R R l r l R r l R r l R r l r l r l
64
= 65
6 6 6 6 6 6
6 6
r l r l r l r l r l r l r b r r b r r b r r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r
*right hand play snare wires w/ card
3 3 3 3 3
left hand play bottom head w/ stick
69
l l l l r l r l r l r l l l r l R r l r l r l l r l R r l r l
r l l l r l r l r l R
3 3 3 5 5 5 5
77
l r l l r l r l l l l r l l r l r l r l r l l R l r l l l l r l l r l R l R l l R l R l l R l R L R l l R l R l l R l R L R l
5 5 5 5
5 5 5 5
82
R l l R l R l l R l R L R l l R l R l l R l R L R l l l R l l R l R l l R l R L R l l R l R l l R l R L R l
5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 85
84
R l l R l R l l R l R l l R l R l l R l R l l R l R l l R l R l l R l R l l R l L L L L r l r L L L L L r l r l r l
6 6 6 6
87
L L L L r l r L L L L L
r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r r l r l r l r l r l r l r l
Distractions 3
*splash cym
90 94
= 172
3 3 on head near player
3 3 3
snares off
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
r l r l r l r l r l r l R R r l r l r l R L R r l r l r l r l R R r l r l r l R L R r l r l r l R R R l r l
99 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3
3
R R R
l r l R l R l r l r l r l r l R l R l r l r l r l r lR L
r r r r r r L r l r l R l r l R R L R R L R l r r l r l
106 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3
r L r r L r l l R l r l R L R R L R R L R L R L l r l r l r r l r l r l r l R L R R L R R L R L R L r l r l r l r l
3 3 3 3 3 3114 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
*hard press into splash cym.
112
R R R L r l r l r l r l R L R L R L r l r l r r r r L r r r r r r r L r r r r r r r L r r r l r L r l r l l l
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
118
r r r r L r r r r r r r L r r r r r r r L r r r r r l r r l R r l R r l r r l r r l r r l
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
bell to edges
123 3 3
r r l r r l R r l R r l
R l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l R
4 Distractions
130
129
R L R L R l r r l r l l R l r r l r l l R l l R l l R
134
R L R L R L R L
139
R l l R l l R
144
R L R L R L R L r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l r l R
Other works by Jensen L. Thomassie
Available on [Link]
Autumn in Appalachia for solo piano
Below for clarinet quartet
Bloom for horn duet
Decay for solo marimba
The Glass Cathedral for solo euphonium and electronics
Foothills for percussion quartet
Hope for solo soprano and piano
Kindling for percussion quartet
Liminal for brass quintet
O Subtle Valley for wind quintet
Piedmont March for symphonic band
Pretty Saro for soprano and piano
Ripple Effect for string quartet
Roads for solo guitar
Stay for cello, marimba, and piano
Through the Water for symphonic band
Wander for Pierrot Ensemble
Jensen L. Thomassie (b. 2001) is a percussionist and composer currently
based in Greenville, South Carolina. Thomassie is currently an
undergraduate student at Furman University pursuing a Bachelor of
Music in Music Composition and Percussion Performance. He has
studied percussion under Omar Carmenates and Justin Watt and
composition under Mark Kilstofte, Peter B. Kay, and Jay Bocook.
As a composer, Thomassie’s catalog includes over 30 works for brass
quintet, percussion ensemble, wind ensemble, clarinet quartet, voice
and piano, string quartet, guitar, electronics, and more. His music has
been performed across the world in the United States, Argentina, Brazil,
and South Korea.
As a performer, Thomassie has played under Ret. Col. John R. Bourgeois, David Holsinger, Sue Samuels,
Serena Weren, Jay Bocook, and Steven D. Davis. He has performed at the Percussive Arts Society
International Convention twice with the Furman University Percussion Ensemble, first in the new music
research session in 2019, as well as performing as one of the winners of the International Percussion
Ensemble Competition in 2022.
An active member of the pageantry arts, Thomassie has marched with Music City Drum Corps, the
Louisiana Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, the Furman University Paladin Regiment, and the New Orleans
Saints Drumline, where he also served as a music writer and arranger. Thomassie has previously served
as Director of Percussion at J.L. Mann High School, where he won a state championship in CWEA
Percussion Scholastic Novice with the J.L. Mann Indoor Percussion Ensemble. Thomassie also freelances
as a percussion arranger for multiple bands in Upstate South Carolina, including J.L. Mann High School,
Greer High School, and Hillcrest High School.