Photo Description: Percussionist and composer Ed Littlefield plays a new set of timpani that has brought a revitalized sound to the Juneau Symphony. Photo courtesy of Juneau Symphony.
Symphony reinvents itself with new timpani
At the Juneau Symphony’s first rehearsal for its fall 2023 concert season, the orchestra’s percussionist coaxed a full, booming rumble from the new set of timpani.
“It was a real lift to the whole percussion section and the full orchestra,” recalled Charlotte Truitt, executive director for the symphony. “The musicians were applauding because […] they have a full understanding that if you’re playing a fine instrument, it makes your job easier and the whole orchestra will sound better.”
The orchestra’s previous timpani set was over 30 years old and had sustained wear and damage beyond repair. A new set of four kettledrums, along with new cymbals, has brought a reinvigorated sound to an orchestra that is no stranger to revitalization.
A foundational sound
Musician Ed Littlefield stopped by the Juneau Symphony offices one sleet-soaked afternoon in April to provide a demonstration of the new timpani’s sound.
“These are like the Rolls Royce of timpani,” he remarked as he adjusted the instrument’s tuning gauges.
The timpani is foundational to an orchestra. Typically, timpani come in sets of three to four; they look like large copper bowls with drumheads stretched across the top. Pedals are used to tune the drumheads as they’re played, allowing the timpani to produce sound that goes beyond simple percussion. A skilled timpanist can coax a melody from a set of kettledrums.
Truitt described the timpani as “rumbling, building, very emotional.” Because the instrument has such an expressive sound, it plays a major role in orchestral arrangements. Like other percussion instruments, it provides rhythm and power. Often, the timpani is also the driver behind the drama of a piece of music, adding intensity and heralding changes in an orchestration’s movements.
“It’s one of those instruments that singularly can change the feel of the music,” Truitt said.
The new timpani will “likely last about 75 to 100 years, if we take really good care of it,” she added. The instrument brings a lasting sound to an orchestra that is accustomed to regularly changing its own composition.
Making music — and new friends
Juneau boasts a high percentage of professional and semi-professional musicians among its population. Still, there are some orchestral roles local performers can’t fill.
Each year, the symphony invites professional musicians from “anywhere Alaska Airlines flies” to augment the orchestra and provide ongoing community-building between musicians. The program brings up to 30 musicians per concert to Juneau each year.
“It’s a really unique situation for our resident players to get the ongoing professional development,” Truitt described. “It’s also really beneficial to the people coming to our community, to be in a place where it’s all about the music.”
The musicians aren’t the only ones who build relationships. Faced with limited temporary housing options, the Juneau Symphony established a “Housing Host” program that pairs guest musicians with Juneau host families. Locals invite the musicians into their homes for the duration of rehearsal and performance — generally four to five nights — providing room, board, and transportation.
The friendships forged through the program have had long-lasting effects. Truitt described housing hosts who plan their vacations around meeting up with “their musicians,” seeing Broadway shows together or taking trips to the beach.
“People open up their homes, so they really have time to connect with [guest musicians] and get to know them,” she said. “It’s enriching for both parties. The musicians have a very fulfilling experience, and the residents enjoy sharing their community and their excitement for our home.”
Bringing Tlingit history to the opera
Recently, Juneau Symphony had an opportunity to play a role in bringing the history and culture of Southeast Alaska alive for audiences. Through a partnership with Sealaska Heritage Institute, the symphony commissioned and performed an overture for the first-ever opera written and performed entirely in Tlingit.
“Kutulagaaw: The Tlingit-Russian Battles” will premiere September 2026 with a smaller pit orchestra featuring some musicians from the symphony as well as other local musicians. The opera was created by composer Ed Littlefield; Vera Starbard, who wrote the libretto; translator and language consultant X’unei Lance Twitchell; and Rory Stitt, who served as the orchestrator.
A project at least 10 years in the making, “Kutulagaaw” may be inspired by a Western form — but it continues a long tradition of Tlingit drama and performance.
“Dr. Rosita Worl started this idea off […] She talks about Tlingit people having natural amphitheaters and doing epic showcases,” Littlefield described. “Why don’t we do it again?”
The opera tells the story of the 1802 and 1804 battles between the Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska and the Russians who attempted to colonize their land. It’s a moment in Alaska history that shaped the state’s future and a story Littlefield feels more people should know.
A Tlingit percussionist originally from Sitka, Littlefield said the Tlingit songs he grew up with heavily influenced the melodies he composed for the opera. “If you were to take away the orchestra, take away all the Western instruments, and just had a hand drum and a voice, [the orchestration] would sort of sound like a traditional song.”
He sees the opera as part of a greater effort to revitalize Tlingit language. During a workshop of the first act last August, Littlefield got to hear local singers work with Indigenous opera director Danielle Jagelski on pronunciation of the Tlingit libretto. While Western opera stresses the vowel sounds of sung phrases, Tlingit language places more emphasis on the ends of words.
Though this marriage of Indigenous language and Western music might seem novel, Littlefield pointed out, “Tlingit people have been singing like that forever. […] I really like showcasing re-imaginings of Tlingit music, keeping that core cultural history and cultural knowledge, but then putting stuff around it that makes it different and more contemporary.”
When Truitt first heard the workshop performed with a reduced instrumentation, she connected with Littlefield to offer Juneau Symphony’s support. In April, the symphony performed an original overture composed in honor of the opera.
The performance and the partnership honor the symphony’s role in reconnecting music-lovers with major symphonic works. Part of the symphony’s work also focuses on spotlighting on new musicians and voices.
“My vision for the Juneau Symphony would be that people in our community find a place of belonging and connection through music,” Truitt said. “When you come together with a group of people that have that shared experience, I think it’s very powerful. You build strong, strong relationships and strong connections.”
Juneau Symphony received a $22,500 Tier 1 grant in 2023 to support the purchase of a timpani set.
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