Swatches is a commissioned collection of five works for three players on a shared 4.3-octave marimba. Each of the five works is written at an intermediate level, utilizes two mallets per player, and is just under four minutes in length. Inspired by color, each trio is titled with a specific paint swatch color from the Benjamin Moore collection and composed to reflect that paint color name.
Some things are best left uncomplicated, kind of like a wide-open Saturday — finish up a project or two, take a nice walk, and maybe run an errand or do a quick chore. Be sure to include as much time as possible with friends or family, enjoying good company and, hopefully, some good food. Each of the three ideas for this marimba solo were cultivated during several improvisation sessions on one such wide-open Saturday, blended together into a comfortable solo for 4-octave marimba that should bring enjoyment to both the performer and audience.
Music operates on Tendencies. Chords tend to resolve a particular way, rhythms tend to land on certain beats within a given meter, and melodic scale degrees tend to move from tension to release in a predictable manner. So, what if a piece of music leaned into those tendencies and exploited them intentionally? This work is playable by as few as four players on a shared 4.3-octave marimba with additional parts to bring the ensemble size up to 10 and the option to double any of these parts for larger ensembles. All parts are written for two mallets per player and are scored for shared instruments to limit equipment needs.
Lucky Prime Suite is comprised of 13 short works for unaccompanied instrumental solo with one common characteristic: each contains exactly 127 notes. Envisioned as musicianship etudes or short encore works, each solo was composed specifically for a colleague or family member based on a series of questions including the individual’s favorite note, favorite key signature, preferred tempo marking, and an adjective they would choose to describe their solo. Composed, then revised based on feedback to ensure effective personalization, the solos were then recorded by each of the commissioning partners.
DIGGING DEEPER was created to provide a multi-level, balanced percussion approach to the percussion class exercise curriculum, featuring three levels for each technical element and the ability to work on pads, keyboard percussion, or both.
FOUR on the FLOOR serves as an accessible approach for the practice and development of four-mallet keyboard percussion facility. The technical exercises included can be practiced on any flat surface—floor, bed, couch, pillow, etc.—or utilizing any set of pitches on a keyboard percussion instrument. Also included for use with these exercises are several pages of sample chord progressions voiced to fit on any marimba or vibraphone.
INSTRUMENT INTRODUCTIONS was created to provide an opportunity for students to become familiar with common ensemble instruments in the percussion family and the corresponding techniques for performance of those instruments. Basic techniques and performance approaches for each instrument are provided along with a four-measure etude that can be rehearsed and/or performed in small or full ensemble with any of the other instrument etudes.