T-totum is a sound composition on the motion of rotation. The recordings of the electronic part comes from objects rotating on top and around the snare drum like various types of spinning tops, a cappuccino plate, glass-balls, motor shaker and other. The percussionist interacts with electronic part using various drivers to excite the snaredrum such as spinning tops, a cappuccino plate, glass-balls, motor shaker and other. The piece requires from the musician to develop virtuosity on sound rather than on complex rhythms.

The title comes from a type of top, usually having four lettered sides, that is used to play various games of chance.

In the piece are used over 700 sound samples on a sound to sound basis. This corpus is structured through sound similarity processes and in relation to rhetoric associations. Abstract sounds recall known every day listening sounds which in turn are suggesting other similar sounds. These two words build a story within story creating association of ideas and as result degrees of ambiguity.

An interactive version of the piece was finalist at the 2nd European competition for live- electronic music projects 2009 at Goteborg / Sweden.

Panayiotis Kokoras