Hacky Sack
Marc Webster, composer

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Hacky sack is a game where players stand in a circle and toss a small bag among themselves using only their feet, with the goal of keeping the bag from touching the ground. This piece features a section which is essentially a game of hacky sack played in music.

In the Hacky Sack section (starting at 1:39), the flutist starts with the "hacky sack", plays a 4 bar solo, then tosses it to the next player, who plays a 4 bar solo, then tosses it to the next player. Just like the game of hacky sack, the order of the players is improvised, but follows the traditional rules of "don't hog the hacky sack, make sure to pass to players who have not gotten it recently, etc".

The score provides a technique of practicing improvisation within the 4 bar phrases as well. The score provides each player with several 4 bar lines written such that any player can play any line, or even switch mid-line at any time, and the ensemble will work. If the ensemble becomes comfortable with that level of improvisation, the score also provides the rules so that player can also write or improvise they own lines as well. The point is to pick a level that is fun for the players and fun for the audience, and challenging enough that the ensemble grows in its ability to improvise. One of the most interesting things about this piece was watching fivebyfive play this piece over the course of the season as their improvisation performance became more interesting, more complex, and more original - I love their improvisation we captured in this recording, hats off to fivebyfive!