I performed Jim Campbell’s Terra-Cotta Warriors (for three percussionists) at the Interlochen Arts Camp during the summer of 2010.   The piece requires several types of mallets that have to be made/built – a “Sponge Mallet” and a “Chardonnay Mallet.”  I worked closely with Jim in creating both types of mallets and have included information, photos and a video here to help those of you performing the piece.   Jim was kind enough to send photos of his mallets – these photos are below as well as my mallets.

For the Sponge Mallets – we found the sponges at “Michaels Arts and Crafts Store” in the clay section – link:

http://www.michaels.com/search?q=sponges

Also, this is a link Jim gave me for the sponges – see sponge “D”:

http://www.nationalartcraft.com/subcategory.asp?gid=10&cid=160&scid=385

The dowels are 7/16”s – use the lighter wood, not the more expensive hard wood dowels.  You HAVE to play delicately with the sponge mallets or they will break.  We used standard wood glue to fasten both types of mallets.

For the Chardonnay Mallets – we found the skewers in a grocery store.   These are pretty standard and easy to find.  The corks we got at a local bar.   We simply asked the bartender to save all the corks she got from opening the wine that night – a $5 tip did the trick!   Jim asks that the corks are the synthetic corks, not “real” cork.

Chardonnay Mallet (LEFT), Sponge Mallet (RIGHT)

Photo of bottom of sponge mallet (use a LOT of glue!)

Side view of sponge mallet. Note- the shaft doesn’t go through

Bottom view of Chardonnay Mallet – a lot of glue!

Our Chardonnay Mallets drying in the window of my studio

Chardonnay Mallet

These are Jim’s personal mallets

Jim’s sponge mallet. The base of the mallet is glue dripping down

Jim’s package of Sponges

Jim’s package of sponges