Who's in Charge? (Duet for 2 Marimbas & Shared Bongos)

Who’s in Charge? is an advanced four-mallet marimba duet with shared bongos with a title that reflects the constant tug-of-war between the two performers. The fast-paced splits, virtuosic mallet runs, and driving bongo patterns trade off, leaving the performers and the audience wondering which player is truly in charge.

Genre: Duet for 2 Marimbas | # of Players: 2
Level: Advanced | Duration: 5:30

Instrumentation
Score (8.5"x11" stapled booklet)
Marimba 1: 5-octave w/ shared Bongos
Marimba 2: 4.5-octave w/ shared Bongos

Program Notes
Who’s in Charge? is an advanced four-mallet marimba duet with shared bongos originally conceived in 2016. Taking longer to complete than any of my previous works, I revised the piece in 2023 with helpful contributions from Joe Donahue. The title directly reflects the constant tug-of-war between the two performers. The fast-paced splits, virtuosic mallet runs, and driving bongo patterns trade off, leaving the performers and the audience wondering which player is truly in charge. As the piece progresses, the syncopation and technical demands intensify, ultimately pushing both performers’ abilities, and their musical tug-of-war, to the absolute brink.

– J.D.C.