My PASIC session will consist of a performance of my own compositions. This music is sometimes described as being “neo-romantic”; therefore I decided to title the session “Marimba Romanticism.”

The performance will focus primarily on etudes for solo marimba. These etudes are part of my project to compose a cycle of 24 of such works, one in each chromatic key. Despite the title of “etude,” these pieces are not mere technical exercises; each of them is a short musical moment of its own.

I will give a brief presentation regarding my general approach towards music technically and artistically, how I approach composing for the marimba, the benefits of making adaptations, transcriptions and arrangements for the marimba, and how it has affected me compositionally and as a performer. I will also discuss the reasons why I play sitting down and, if time permits, open the floor for questions.

Since time is limited at PASIC presentations, I will only be touching briefly on technical issues towards marimba playing. Therefore, I will provide a more detailed explanation here.

No matter how complex and/or difficult a piece is, all we are doing physically is a combination of different kinds of strokes. I have always believed in a three-step approach towards every note:

1. Think of the sound you want to produce;
2. Make it happen with your hands;
3. Listen and check if the sound you are producing matches what you imagined.

Conceptually, this seems very simple, but in the frenzy of playing coupled with stage fright, one can easily forget steps 1 and 3.

Aside from these steps, there is also a systematic approach towards different kinds of strokes and ways we can draw different tone colors out of the marimba. My approach is largely based on what I learned about timpani playing during my studies with Don Liuzzi, Principal Timpanist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. My other past teachers, Michael Udow and Nancy Zeltsman, also helped me clarify various applications of these concepts in playing and in teaching.

First, we have three stroke types: up, down and full. Second, we have five basic levels of stroke speeds: military, assertive, normal, relaxed, and slow-motion. Military is the most aggressive and quickest; slow-motion is the most relaxed and slowest, similar to a Tai-chi approach.

In my experience, the slow-motion stroke is most useful for developing a physical feel for the connection between notes and horizontal motions on the instrument. Third, we have five basic levels of stroke weight, utilizing the control and natural weight of different body parts: fingers, wrist, forearm, whole arm, and body. We use fingers for easy control over the most delicate passages, and when the music calls for it, we can throw our body-weight onto the instrument for those special peasante moments.

A simple exercise would be to practice scales with combinations of these three
stroke aspects. It is important to constantly listen to what kind of sounds and tones
each stroke combination produces in order for us to physically and mentally absorb these different strokes into our instincts and utilize them when the music calls for it. In addition, we can also draw out different tone colors by playing on different parts of the bar. The key is to have the least possible amount of tension in your body, especially in your hands, arms, and shoulders. And keep your mallets as low as possible, or as high as musically necessary. Speed is almost an addiction for a lot of people, but it is important to remember that technique is only for the purpose of serving the music. One only needs to play as fast or as slow as the music calls for. To develop fast hands, one simply needs to listen, be aware of the sounds and tones one is producing (and how they are being produced), stay relaxed, and be aware of mallet heights and unnecessary motions that have no affect on sound.

Pius Cheung

An article written by Pius Cheung
appearing on Percussive Notes, August/September 2009 Issue