A little bit wicked-- for marimba

Marimba compositions in the last 20 years have become more and more complex in nature, almost to the point of absurdity. When a former student of mine commissioned me to write her a marimba piece, I gladly accepted. I set out to write a marimba piece that while being easily accessible by the common listener, would also find its place among the more abstract pieces in a musical library. I also kept in mind the player I was writing for and the interactions we have had over the years by including several musical quotes from music we worked on together. The finished piece embodies the characteristics of a new twentieth-century work while keeping the personal aspects of an older more familiar selection for both the player and the audience.