Three Questions for Solo Marimba

This three-movement work for solo marimba contemplates some of the questions a new parent might have, with a wide variety of musical textures and performance techniques being explored by the performer.

Genre: Marimba (4-mallet) | # of Players: 1
Level: Medium Difficult | Duration: 8:00 total

Instrumentation
Marimba (5-octave)

Program Notes
Three Questions for Solo Marimba was written in the summer of 2012 and is dedicated to my undergraduate percussion professor, Dr. Kurt Gartner, and his then-newborn son James. Each of the three movements refers to a question I believe parents should ask themselves when raising a child. Can They Think? is a quick-moving moto perpetuo meant to mimic the rapid stream of thoughts and ideas our brains often create. In contrast, Can They Dream? is a slow chorale that celebrates the aspirations and goals humans make for themselves. The work concludes with Can They Play?, which serves as a reminder to not take life too seriously and have fun once in a while!

- B.C.