Program Note

These two marimba solos mark a return of sorts for me as a musician. I wrote them as I was beginning my first semester teaching at Alma College, where I attended music school as an undergrad. It’s been amazing, scary, disorienting, and humbling to work alongside some of the professors I once had in class and rehearsal, and I’ve tried to compose two short pieces to reflect that whirlwind. The first is groovy and off kilter, sort of inspired by the strangeness of being back in a place that seems familiar and surprising all at once. The second is a simple song for my new daughter Kennedy, without whom I wouldn’t have made the decision to return to teaching.

The Simple Songs are a project I started during the pandemic. When rehearsals and concerts weren't an option, I turned toward simple, elegant music that I would improvise in our living room for myself and my family. Without the internal composer voice that asks, "Is this good enough?" I learned a lot about the music that moves me. The honesty and simplicity of these pieces are a reflection of those lessons.

These pieces were written for my longtime friend Mark Demull, who also attended Alma. They’re dedicated to him and all of the musicians that have mutually impacted our lives.