Berlioz’s ”Symphonie Fantastique” is notable for many reasons, one of which is its use of four timpani players to evoke the sound of rolling thunder toward the end of the symphony’s third movement.

Timpani is a plural word for the set of kettle drums that are a standard part of an orchestra’s instrumentation. Normally, they are played by one percussionist.

A piece with four timpani players, however, is rare. Michael Gesme knows of no other piece in the classical canon that calls for as many.

”This is so unusual,” Gesme said.

Normally, the Central Oregon Symphony has one timpani player, Dennis Senff. For the Berlioz piece, he will be joined onstage by fellow percussionists Larry Meyers, Carol Zack and Kathy Gault. The three, like Senff, are Central Oregon residents, and learned to play timpani during the course of their training as percussionists, Gesme said.

Senff, who also owns Mountain View Music, is excited for the help. Without it, the timpani piece would be impossible to play, he said.

– Andrew Moore