Perenniality (PDF)
Duration: ca 10”
Difficulty: Advanced+
Perenniality is a virtuosic and dynamic marimba duo, composed for and dedicated to the renowned duo Escape X. Premiered at the TCU Percussion Festival in Ed Landreth Hall on April 6, 2024, this piece was written to capture the extraordinary musicianship of Andrea and Annie, whose impeccable mallet technique and deep understanding of the marimba have always captivated me.
When they approached me with the idea of writing a duo specifically for them, I knew it had to be something special—something that would allow their unique voices to shine. My goal was to create a piece that lets their beautiful tone resonate and evolve across the instrument, while showcasing their command of the marimba’s expressive potential.
The title Perenniality came to me after the piece was written, as I began to notice its cyclical and perpetual qualities. The opening motive acts as a seed that grows and develops throughout the composition. As the music unfolds, it continuously transforms, only to return to its starting point at the end. This return to the opening theme symbolizes the concept of something perennial—an idea that evokes the cyclical nature of life itself.
A perennial plant dies in the winter, yet blooms again in the spring, and similarly, this piece reflects a kind of endless, cyclical motion, where ideas are renewed and reimagined. There’s also a sense of perpetual movement, an unbroken flow that mirrors the endless possibilities of the marimba's sound world.
Although Perenniality is technically challenging, it is driven primarily by musical expression, with sweeping gestures and lyrical lines that invite the listener into a world of evolving textures. The goal was to divert expectations of what marimba can sound like, crafting a soundscape that is both harmonious and unexpected. Through this piece, I hope to convey both the cyclical beauty of nature and the endless creative potential of the marimba, in a way that allows the performers’ artistry to truly soar.
Duration: ca 10”
Difficulty: Advanced+
Perenniality is a virtuosic and dynamic marimba duo, composed for and dedicated to the renowned duo Escape X. Premiered at the TCU Percussion Festival in Ed Landreth Hall on April 6, 2024, this piece was written to capture the extraordinary musicianship of Andrea and Annie, whose impeccable mallet technique and deep understanding of the marimba have always captivated me.
When they approached me with the idea of writing a duo specifically for them, I knew it had to be something special—something that would allow their unique voices to shine. My goal was to create a piece that lets their beautiful tone resonate and evolve across the instrument, while showcasing their command of the marimba’s expressive potential.
The title Perenniality came to me after the piece was written, as I began to notice its cyclical and perpetual qualities. The opening motive acts as a seed that grows and develops throughout the composition. As the music unfolds, it continuously transforms, only to return to its starting point at the end. This return to the opening theme symbolizes the concept of something perennial—an idea that evokes the cyclical nature of life itself.
A perennial plant dies in the winter, yet blooms again in the spring, and similarly, this piece reflects a kind of endless, cyclical motion, where ideas are renewed and reimagined. There’s also a sense of perpetual movement, an unbroken flow that mirrors the endless possibilities of the marimba's sound world.
Although Perenniality is technically challenging, it is driven primarily by musical expression, with sweeping gestures and lyrical lines that invite the listener into a world of evolving textures. The goal was to divert expectations of what marimba can sound like, crafting a soundscape that is both harmonious and unexpected. Through this piece, I hope to convey both the cyclical beauty of nature and the endless creative potential of the marimba, in a way that allows the performers’ artistry to truly soar.
Duration: ca 10”
Difficulty: Advanced+
Perenniality is a virtuosic and dynamic marimba duo, composed for and dedicated to the renowned duo Escape X. Premiered at the TCU Percussion Festival in Ed Landreth Hall on April 6, 2024, this piece was written to capture the extraordinary musicianship of Andrea and Annie, whose impeccable mallet technique and deep understanding of the marimba have always captivated me.
When they approached me with the idea of writing a duo specifically for them, I knew it had to be something special—something that would allow their unique voices to shine. My goal was to create a piece that lets their beautiful tone resonate and evolve across the instrument, while showcasing their command of the marimba’s expressive potential.
The title Perenniality came to me after the piece was written, as I began to notice its cyclical and perpetual qualities. The opening motive acts as a seed that grows and develops throughout the composition. As the music unfolds, it continuously transforms, only to return to its starting point at the end. This return to the opening theme symbolizes the concept of something perennial—an idea that evokes the cyclical nature of life itself.
A perennial plant dies in the winter, yet blooms again in the spring, and similarly, this piece reflects a kind of endless, cyclical motion, where ideas are renewed and reimagined. There’s also a sense of perpetual movement, an unbroken flow that mirrors the endless possibilities of the marimba's sound world.
Although Perenniality is technically challenging, it is driven primarily by musical expression, with sweeping gestures and lyrical lines that invite the listener into a world of evolving textures. The goal was to divert expectations of what marimba can sound like, crafting a soundscape that is both harmonious and unexpected. Through this piece, I hope to convey both the cyclical beauty of nature and the endless creative potential of the marimba, in a way that allows the performers’ artistry to truly soar.
