MARIMBA AND ORCHESTRA
Contemporary marimba and orchestra pieces
This page features marimba concertos and contemporary orchestral music for solo marimba with orchestral accompaniment. The collection includes marimba compositions for symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, and wind orchestra, exploring the instrument's unique voice.
...OF WEAVING THE SHADOWED WAVES
for two marimbas and chamber orchestra
Duration:
7:30 minutes
Instrumentation:
2 marimbas (soli), 2 oboes,2 horns, strings (6,5,4,3,1)
Year Composed:
2003
Written For:
PercaDu and The Tel Aviv Soloists;
Barak Tal, music director
Commissioned By:
In memory of Adele and John Gray for the America-Israel Cultural Foundation
Premiere Performance:
9 November 2003,
Carnegie Hall, New York, USA
PercaDu: Adi Morag and Tomer Yariv, marimbas
The Tel Aviv Soloists
Barak Tal, conductor
Related Music:
About …of weaving the shadowed waves
…of weaving the shadowed waves is a 7½‑minute concerto‑like work for two marimbas and chamber orchestra, composed in 2003. The piece draws its inspiration from imagined underwater landscapes — shifting currents, layered contours, and the quiet, shadowed world beneath the surface. The two marimbas act as intertwined waves: emerging, dissolving, changing direction, and brushing against the surrounding “water,” represented by the orchestra. Their dry, resonant timbres create a mysterious, fluid dialogue, while the ensemble responds with its own surges of motion and stillness. Written for PercaDu and The Tel Aviv Soloists, the work was commissioned in memory of Adele and John Gray and premiered at Carnegie Hall. It remains a vivid, atmospheric addition to the contemporary marimba‑and‑orchestra repertoire.
For the Performers
Level: Ideal for professional percussion duos and advanced university or conservatory ensembles with strong chamber‑orchestra experience.
Programming: A striking choice for marimba‑focused concerts, contemporary chamber‑orchestra programs, gala events, and percussion‑showcase evenings. Its compact duration makes it an excellent opener or centerpiece.
Style: Coloristic, fluid writing with interwoven marimba lines; atmospheric orchestral textures.
Program Notes
While composing ...of weaving the shadowed waves, I was fascinated by imaginary visual images of underwater waves interwoven with each other, thus creating ever-changing contours and curves. Simultaneously, the surroundings themselves—the water—were mostly peaceful in nature, dark-blue, mysterious, full of shadows, and reflections from above the surface. The two marimbas, with their mysterious, haunting yet dry tones, create these alternating waves—changing their intensity, direction, and their relation to the surrounding water. These waves often emerge from the depths and continue their movement above the surface. In turn, the surrounding water, or musically speaking, the orchestra, responds to the play of the waves—moving along with them, sometimes losing and gaining tranquility.
...of weaving the shadowed waves was commissioned in memory of Adele and John Gray for the America-Israel Cultural Foundation Gala concert on November 9, 2003, at Carnegie Hall. It was written for PercaDu—Adi Morag and Tomer Yariv, percussionists—and The Tel-Aviv Soloists Ensemble conducted by Barak Tal. With many thanks to Gideon Paz, who initiated the creation of this composition.