Encantada (Solo Vibraphone)

Performed by Jeff Hewitt MALLETS: #vfM226 - Ney Rosauro Signature M226 #vfM227 - Ney Rosauro Signature M227 http://vicfirth.com/ney-rosauro/ ABOUT THE PIECE: Encantada (meaning "enchanted" in Spanish) might be considered the child of my new Concerto for Vibraphone. The harmonic material in the opening bars of the solo are taken from the 1st movement of the concerto while the title of the piece is taken from the 2nd movement, "Enchanted Light' (or "La Luz Encantada"). As I mentioned in an earlier post about the concerto, much of the repertoire for vibraphone is jazz-influenced because of the instrument's history (see Lionel Hampton & Milt Jackson for examples). This definitely extends to the solo repertoire, so I sought to create more of a concert piece. - Nathan Daughtrey ABOUT THE PERFORMER: Jeff Hewitt (D.M.A.) is a freelancing percussion educator and performer in Southern Arizona who has taught students at the collegiate, secondary, and elementary levels in Arizona and Kansas. He is also currently serving as the marketing, recruitment, and tour administrator for the World Percussion Group, a groundbreaking project directed by the Maraca2 Percussion Duo. Hewitt’s current research focuses on the objective grading of four-mallet solo vibraphone literature, a project that has spawned an extensive database containing pieces organized by difficulty level. Recent solo and chamber ensemble performances include appearances at the National Conference on Percussion Pedagogy, the McCormick Marimba Festival, and various universities throughout the United States. He also recently presented at the 2015 Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) and the Arizona Music Educators Association Conference. His primary teachers have included Norman Weinberg, Julia Gaines, and Kurt Gartner. Hewitt earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Arizona, a Master of Music degree from the University of Missouri, and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Kansas State University. As an endorser of Vic Firth sticks and mallets, he is a member of their Young Artist Program and Education Team. Originally hailing from Overland Park, KS, Jeff currently resides in Tucson, AZ.