Unwind (2015)
For prepared marimba
6 minutes
Program Notes
Commissioned by New Morse Code, Unwind is a delicate exposition of off-kilter rhythms and slowly ascending lines. Layers of asynchronous pulses evoke an unwinding music box as cyclical rhythmic patterns move in and out of phase with each other. Initially confined to a narrow range, the musical voices themselves unwind as they slowly ascend the instrument, ultimately resting on the marimba’s two highest pitches. Bell tones, from a set of vibraphone bars placed on top of the Marimba’s ‘black’ keys, provide a bed of resonance to the pulsating marimba tones.
The piece can be performed as a duet, trio or quartet, all musicians playing one instrument.
Premiered March 13, 2015 by Maria Finkelmeier and Gregg Jukes at The Space, Jamaica Plain, MA.
New Morse Code's Simplicity Itself, featuring Unwind, is available on Bandcamp and Apple Music.
Purchase
Performances
December 7, 2020 NYU, New York, NY. NYU Percussion Ensemble.
March 14, 2020 Blue Sage Center for the Arts, Paonia, CO. New Morse Code.
January 11, 2020 Resnick and Passlof Foundation, New York City, NY. AMOC.
September 29, 2018 Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. Mike Compitello.
August 4, 2018 National Sawdust, Brooklyn, NY. Sandbox Percussion.
July 14, 2018 Mary Keene Chapel, Enfield, NH. Chosen Vale International Percussion Seminar.
September 23, 2017 DiMenna Center, New York, NY. New Morse Code.
December 3, 2016 University of Kansas, Lawrence, KA. U. Kansas Percussion Ensemble.
April 14, 2016 Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI. MSU Percussion ensemble.
January 30, 2016 McCormick Marimba Festival, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.