Marking Time
Performed by Utari Duo & DB-90 “Dr. Beat”
Animation by Chris P. Thompson
March 2021, Tokyo
Marking Time
For Two Marimbists & Timekeeper
Duration: 10 minutes
Commissioned by: Utari Duo
Composed: Winter 2021
Premiere: March 21, 2021 - Tokyo, Japan
Instrumentation:
5-Octave Marimba (two players)
with either:
a) Pre-Recorded Timekeeper (playback), or
b) Live Timekeeper (1 or more performers)
Program Note:
A little chat about this little box.
In my memories of intense drum & bugle corps rehearsals over the hottest days of summer, the sound of a crudely amplified “Dr. Beat” metronome is ubiquitous. As we sweat, its relentless music melted into the background, becoming another member of the ensemble.
A metronome is typically seen by musicians as a tool to be endured… just until it is no longer needed. But after living with its voice for so long, I started to imagine it had a soul of its own, and thus deserved a part in the show, not just in the rehearsals.
Score Samples:
Performance History:
Premiere: March 21, 2021 - Tokyo, Japan - Utari Duo
Juilliard Summer Percussion Seminar - July 16, 2021 - Utari Duo
Rocket City New Music - September 8, 2022 - Sae Hashimoto, Sean Ritenauer
Rocket City New Music - October 4, 2022 - Haruka Fujii, Sean Ritenauer
San Francisco Conservatory - March 24, 2023 - Utari Duo
Illinois State University, Red Note Festival - March 26, 2023 - Utari Duo
Indiana University - March 30, 2023 - Utari Duo
Boston Conservatory Percussion Ensemble - May 1, 2023 - Ashley Ridenour, April Ong, Yun-Chen Chou
Juilliard Summer Percussion Seminar - Summer 2023 - Sean Ritenauer, Haruka Fujii
San Francisco Conservatory - November 28, 2023
University of Missouri - April 19, 2024
Tokyo, Japan — Belsalle Toranomon - June 29, 2024 - Utari Duo
Score/Parts
- Full Score (27 pages) + 3 instrumental parts (PDF files)
- Pre-recorded timekeeper (audio file)
- Click and cue tracks (audio file)