Three Moments in Time (Solo 4-Mallet Mairmba)

Three Moments in Time is a set of three preludes for solo 5-octave marimba written for beginning to intermediate performers. Each prelude was written as a standalone piece, but performers are welcome to combine them in any order they would like.

Genre: Marimba (4-mallet) | # of Players: 1
Series: N/A
Level: Intermediate | Duration: 13:10 total

Instrumentation
Marimba (5-octave)

Program Notes
Three Moments in Time is a set of three preludes for solo 5-octave marimba written for beginning to intermediate performers. Each prelude was written as a standalone piece, but performers are welcome to combine them in any order they would like.

1. Reflections on Thoughts Past is the easiest of the three pieces, and is meant for a performer who is looking to bridge the gap between playing etudes and playing actual pieces of music. This piece is about reflecting on a bittersweet memory. There are instances of major and minor tonalities to bring this to life.

2. As it Seems was written in the spring of 2020, during the uncertainty faced by the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Every day, I heard more and more news about different institutions and fine arts programs being shut down for an indeterminate amount of time. Despite this news, my way of life has not been drastically changed (at least for the time being); in addition to being a composer and musician, I am also a teacher. The school where I teach transitioned to alternative delivery courses instead of shutting down completely, so my livelihood is secure. However, I know this to not be true for many musicians across the world that do not have the security of a teaching job at a university.

I wrote As it Seems to serve as a reminder that nothing is as bad as it seems no matter what hardships or troubles you are facing. Throughout this time of uncertainty, it is my hope that people will actively seek out opportunities to help those less fortunate than themselves.

3. For a New Day was composed while attending the Blake Tyson and Payton McDonald Virtual Composition Seminar in 2021. At the seminar, Dr. Blake Tyson said something that resonated with me deeply. He said that it does not necessarily matter if your composition will advance the art form, and not every marimba piece has to revolutionize the genre—good music is good music. And so, I humbly submit to you what I hope you will consider to be good music.

This piece is loosely based around the Bernard Williams quote, “There was never a night or problem that could defeat the sunrise.” It portrays someone recovering from sadness, finally seeing the first hopeful rays of light at dawn.