Innovative Percussion ERHCAT Doom Catcher

Doom Catcher by Raymond Helble is all high drama, requiring the most virtuosity of the three pieces, and unites the different sonorities of the previous movements. Doom Seeker, Doom Chaser, and Doom Catcher is a series of works, any one of which can be performed individually, or all of them as a three movement suite. The pieces were commissioned by my wife, Carol Helble, for her students while she was president of Missouri PAS. She wanted pieces that were difficult enough to use as technique building tools, but also entertaining and somewhat programmatic to use as musicality teaching tools of a kind she could not find. One might imagine the program as follows: in "Seeker" we are lost in a dark wood, or rain forest, sensing some danger, but not yet confronting it.

In "Chaser" we either run from or toward a threat, sensing only the doom's terrible outlines. In "Catcher" we confront and battle the terror before us. Only the listener can know whether we win or lose. Players and audiences enjoy these pieces immensely, and a good performance of any of them always seems to elicit a strong positive response from listeners. The Doom Series is both reasonably challenging while remaining fun and engaging for all.