Marimba Quartet (2015).
Premiered by Alejandro Ruiz’s percussion studio, Medellín, Colombia
Most pieces are born with a specific purpose and instrumentation in mind. Sometimes the initial instrumentation is what is at hand and that is why it is chosen. As the untamable musical forces unfold, sounds migrate towards other whereabouts, and these inquiries perhaps pursue an ulterior desire. An inner struggle is at hand, but music always wins, it is not worth opposing it.
After listening my sax quartet Uneven Portraits I had a feeling that this piece was meant to be written for four marimbas and not four saxes. I struggled, because they are quite different instruments and I really liked what I had so far. I didn’t want to write new music, I wanted to hear the same one on other timbres. After some hesitation, I decided to arrange three of the movements for four marimbas.
I sent it to my friend Alejandro Ruiz for a concert with his students. We had blast rehearsing through video calls.
Below is a performance by University of South Florida Percussion Ensemble in Tampa, FL.
Performers: Jessyca Rose, Kyle Spence, Nicolas Remy, and Sherry Donataccio.
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