Cerberus is a watchdog with three heads of hell in Greek mythology. Inspired by the idea of one body with three heads, I composed this piece with three players encircling the percussion cluster.

It is said that Cerberus sleeps with its three heads taking turns, and this piece also features continuous rhythmic interactions (except for a very short GP). This comprises a simple combination of 8 and 16 notes, rests. There are no triplets, rolls, or intricate decorations used. General percussion instruments are employed to make it accessible for beginners.

Tuning is crucial since many instruments are lined up. The eight drums, except for the S. Dr, are tuned in pitch indicated on the score. Make sure the conga's pitch is higher than tom-tom. The S. Dr's pitch should be lower than bongo and higher than tom-tom.

This piece can be used for ensemble competitions and concerts. Since it incorporates basic rhythm patterns, it also serves as an ideal group method for beginners to intermediates, including unison practice with three people, practice to add accents to the second stroke of two beats, accent movement, short rhythm interactions, and more.

(Daiki Kato)