Guest Artists

Question 1

Marimba

Answer 1

Concerto for Marimba and Percussion Ensemble by Daniel Levitan

Reasons for piece:

• Groove
• 10 players (more students involved)
• Explorations in aspects of minimalism without being true minimalist piece
• Multi-movement, large work. Pleasing to audiences
• Includes some less standard instruments (maracas)
• Hand dampening on mallets

Anthony DiSanza
• Music fits his aesthetic and personality - minimalism, groove, detail
• Pedagogue, performer
• Sole nero duo, Middle eastern, Brazilian percussion
• UW Madison, previously Youngstown

Question 2

Snare/Percussion

Answer 2

Kibo by Andrea Venet
• pedagogically a bit more straightforward for ensemble players
• not just another marimba solo with percussion ensemble, different sensibility
• Could feature younger players instead of solely grad students, experiences for all ensemble students.
• In the vein of Mudra by Becker

Andrea Venet
• UNF
• Escape X duo
• composer and commissioner of many new works. Some of them more accessible for students of all levels
• Eastman
• Works for voice and marimba, innovative compositions

Question 3

Koolish Zein (psathas)

Answer 3

• soloist (marimba/vibe) with quartet
• 3 mvts, one with harder mallet parts, one featuring hand perc.
• with audio track
• groove based writing, ethereal sounds

Michael Burritt, soloist
• NWern, then Eastman
•commissioned and performed many solo and ensemble works for percussion
• studied with John Beck at Eastman
• Malletech marimbas (design)

Psathas
• Greek composer in NZ
• composed for Olympic Games, award winning.
• Lots of works involving percussion, electronics, groove, based off of mythology.