Marimba Music

One of the pieces I’m working on next is a marimba solo, and I am so so excited and happy to be writing percussion music again. The piece is fairly difficult, somewhere around advanced high school or college. The first page isn’t too bad, but it develops into some funky timing and cross rhythms and some tricky shifts. At least, as of the time of writing this is the case - percussion education is transforming so fast, 4-mallet technique was a late high school thing when I was in school and now there are middle school students with amazing performances of Ford’s solo book or pieces from Impressions in Wood. You love to see it, and it’s also very exciting. Who knows where things will be in another ten years.

Anyway, this new piece is titled Divertimento, which is an homage to Persichetti, one of my favorite composers, and gives you some insight into the character of the piece. It’s lighthearted, fun to perform (and hopefully listen to and watch), and a bit flashy. The piece is almost done, it’s looking to be maybe 130 measures or so. I really wanted to focus on single-alternating and single-independent strokes especially in the outer mallets, so there are some risky moments and shifts you’ll have to do but nothing too punishing. I can’t wait to post more in the future as it nears completion and proofing and editing, and then its premier (TBA)!