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The marimba has garnered increased attention in percussion performance over the past thirty years. Literature for beginners through professionals in a multitude of styles have been written. With the ever-growing number of marimbists since the 1980's there has been a high demand for new works. Numerous pieces were created through

The marimba has garnered increased attention in percussion performance over the past thirty years. Literature for beginners through professionals in a multitude of styles have been written. With the ever-growing number of marimbists since the 1980's there has been a high demand for new works. Numerous pieces were created through commissions: composers contracted to write music by individuals, institutions, and consortia. Three primary types of marimba solo music were written: unaccompanied solos, concerti, and marimba solos with electronic accompaniment. Since electronic music is relatively new in marimba performance, there is very little information published regarding this topic. Only a handful of well-known compositions in this genre have been widely performed, and a great number of existing works are unfamiliar to the percussion world. The goal of this study is to generate an overview of electronic music in marimba performance by compiling a chronological catalog of compositions written for solo marimba with electronics. In addition, this study wishes to promote this genre of solo marimba music through the commission, performance, examination, and recording of a new work for marimba and electronics. It is the author's wish to bring this topic to percussionists' attention, and to enrich the marimba solo literature by both exploring existing literature and encouraging the commissioning and performance of marimba music.
ContributorsChen, Yi-Chia (Author) / Smith, J.B. (Thesis advisor) / Bush, Jeffery (Committee member) / Hackbarth, Glenn (Committee member) / Hill, Gary (Committee member) / Sunkett, Mark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
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Description
Noting a lack of solo repertoire for two popular keyboard percussion instruments, the glockenspiel and xylophone, I set out to bring the two instruments up to a level where both could be recognized as vehicles for solo performance. I decided to collaborate with three composers who are not percussionists: Nick

Noting a lack of solo repertoire for two popular keyboard percussion instruments, the glockenspiel and xylophone, I set out to bring the two instruments up to a level where both could be recognized as vehicles for solo performance. I decided to collaborate with three composers who are not percussionists: Nick Bentz (fitful machinery for solo glockenspiel and fixed media), Ashlee Busch (Elements for solo xylophone and crotales), and Hunter Long (We’ve always had time on our side for solo xylophone and percussion ensemble). By collaborating with these three young composers, I hope to elevate the stature of these underutilized percussion instruments. This document provides information about each composer, the commissioning process, and examinations of each work. In addition, I will discuss some of the challenges of working with non-percussionist composers, issues on performance practice, and my solutions to those challenges.
ContributorsKusuma, Egha (Author) / Compitello, Michael (Thesis advisor) / Smith, J.B. (Committee member) / Bolanos, Gabriel (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
The percussion ensemble pieces of the 1930s and 1940s have many performance practice and instrumental selection considerations when performed in the modern day. The four pieces of music under consideration for this study are Ionisation (1933) by Edgard Varèse, Ostinato Pianissimo (1934) by Henry Cowell, First Construction (In Metal) (1939),

The percussion ensemble pieces of the 1930s and 1940s have many performance practice and instrumental selection considerations when performed in the modern day. The four pieces of music under consideration for this study are Ionisation (1933) by Edgard Varèse, Ostinato Pianissimo (1934) by Henry Cowell, First Construction (In Metal) (1939), and Third Construction (1941), both by John Cage. These works have stood the test of time, and are still an important part of today’s percussive literature. As with many historical works, issues such as interpretation and instrument selection arise when performed in the twenty first century. This project aims to provide general considerations and specific solutions when preparing these works for performance. The research conducted in this paper will help percussionists and musicologists alike further understand how to properly replicate the early percussion ensemble music, if the performers objectives are to emulate the composers’ original intentions.
ContributorsWales, Tyler (Author) / Compitello, Michael (Thesis advisor) / Smith, J.B. (Committee member) / Saucier, Catherine (Committee member) / Gardner, Joshua (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021