Vertical River
marimba and vibraphone duet
I wrote this piece on a commission from John Parks. The piece is a reflection of the great times that John and I had a few years ago rafting down the Boise River. John and I premiered it at Florida State University in the Fall of 2003. We recorded it for John's CD, Dusk: Percussion Music from the Heartland.
I wrote this piece on a commission from John Parks. The piece is a reflection of the great times that John and I had a few years ago rafting down the Boise River. John and I premiered it at Florida State University in the Fall of 2003. We recorded it for John's CD, Dusk: Percussion Music from the Heartland.
A cricket sang and set the sun
solo marimba
This work takes its title from an Emily Dickinson poem that begins, "The cricket sang, And set the sun." When I read these words, I was moved by the powerful ideas they evoked. It was not just the image of a beautiful and slowly shifting sunset that struck me, but the idea that something so small could affect something so large, that a cricket's song could transform day into night. Although the piece is not directly based on the poem, I have tried to capture the sense of fascination, inspiration and beauty that these opening lines create.
This work takes its title from an Emily Dickinson poem that begins, "The cricket sang, And set the sun." When I read these words, I was moved by the powerful ideas they evoked. It was not just the image of a beautiful and slowly shifting sunset that struck me, but the idea that something so small could affect something so large, that a cricket's song could transform day into night. Although the piece is not directly based on the poem, I have tried to capture the sense of fascination, inspiration and beauty that these opening lines create.
Blake Tyson
compositions
compositions
Anubis
Anubis is a virtuosic showpiece for solo marimba. The "Egyptian" scale and the presence of an ancient Egyptian folk song combine to conjure images of pharaohs and pyramids.
A Ceiling Full of Stars
Watch the video or hear FSU's recording
When I was young, my dad and I found something incredible at the toy store. We took home a small planetarium made of yellow and black plastic and suddenly I could power an entire universe with just a couple of batteries. Moon landings were a recent memory and the space shuttle was just around the corner. Star Wars was in theaters and shows like Battlestar Gallactica and Space:1999 were on TV. It was impossible to avoid an obsession with outer space. Looking back, it is hard to believe that those shows were so short lived and that I probably saw Star Wars only once. With my planetarium creating a ceiling full of stars above me I was able to live out my own adventures every night, flying my spaceships though the galaxy, exploring new worlds, and getting into some pretty serious battles with stormtroopers and Cylon warriors.
A Ceiling Full of Stars is a journey through space as seen through the eyes of a child. There is a sense of wonder and amazement. There are struggles to break free of unseen forces and there are moments of weightlessness. A sense of speed simmers beneath a slowly moving surface, depicting the awe-inspiring infinity of space.
A Ceiling Full of Stars is dedicated to my parents who fostered my imagination, inspired my curiosity, and made everything possible.
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When I was young, my dad and I found something incredible at the toy store. We took home a small planetarium made of yellow and black plastic and suddenly I could power an entire universe with just a couple of batteries. Moon landings were a recent memory and the space shuttle was just around the corner. Star Wars was in theaters and shows like Battlestar Gallactica and Space:1999 were on TV. It was impossible to avoid an obsession with outer space. Looking back, it is hard to believe that those shows were so short lived and that I probably saw Star Wars only once. With my planetarium creating a ceiling full of stars above me I was able to live out my own adventures every night, flying my spaceships though the galaxy, exploring new worlds, and getting into some pretty serious battles with stormtroopers and Cylon warriors.
A Ceiling Full of Stars is a journey through space as seen through the eyes of a child. There is a sense of wonder and amazement. There are struggles to break free of unseen forces and there are moments of weightlessness. A sense of speed simmers beneath a slowly moving surface, depicting the awe-inspiring infinity of space.
A Ceiling Full of Stars is dedicated to my parents who fostered my imagination, inspired my curiosity, and made everything possible.
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the trees are quiet
oboe and vibraphone
the trees are quiet was written in memory of Toru Takemitsu. In the piece I try to find a musical expression for the unusual feeling of loss that is felt when someone you admire, but do not personally know, dies. The work combines my own musical language (reaching back to my very first composition) with echoes of Takemitsu's guitar piece, Equinox.
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the trees are quiet was written in memory of Toru Takemitsu. In the piece I try to find a musical expression for the unusual feeling of loss that is felt when someone you admire, but do not personally know, dies. The work combines my own musical language (reaching back to my very first composition) with echoes of Takemitsu's guitar piece, Equinox.
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Cloud Forest
solo marimba with percussion quartet
Cloud Forest was inspired by my visits to Ecuador, my travels between Quito and Esmeraldas, and the Ecuadorian cloud forests. It begins with the spinning, uneven journey from the top of Ecuador to the Pacific Ocean and ends with the trip back to Quito. The work also depicts the beauty of the lush forests and the great times I had with my friends in Ecuador.
When I arrived in Esmeraldas after my long journey from Quito, the marimba I had expected to perform on was not there. The only marimba available was a small traditional instrument that had been built by a local musician. The piece I had planned to perform would not fit on this marimba. Rather than give up, I took the two hours I had before the concert, came up with some ideas, and then improvised a work that I entitled Journey to Esmeraldas. The main themes in Cloud Forest come from this improvisation.
Cloud Forest was commissioned by Spindrift Percussion Group in 2005. The original version was for percussion trio and soloist. In 2008 I revised the work for marimba soloist and percussion quartet.
Cloud Forest was inspired by my visits to Ecuador, my travels between Quito and Esmeraldas, and the Ecuadorian cloud forests. It begins with the spinning, uneven journey from the top of Ecuador to the Pacific Ocean and ends with the trip back to Quito. The work also depicts the beauty of the lush forests and the great times I had with my friends in Ecuador.
When I arrived in Esmeraldas after my long journey from Quito, the marimba I had expected to perform on was not there. The only marimba available was a small traditional instrument that had been built by a local musician. The piece I had planned to perform would not fit on this marimba. Rather than give up, I took the two hours I had before the concert, came up with some ideas, and then improvised a work that I entitled Journey to Esmeraldas. The main themes in Cloud Forest come from this improvisation.
Cloud Forest was commissioned by Spindrift Percussion Group in 2005. The original version was for percussion trio and soloist. In 2008 I revised the work for marimba soloist and percussion quartet.