Marimba: Technique Through Music
marimba etude book
Composer: Mark Ford
Publisher: Innovative Percussion, Inc.
Instrumentation: Marimba (low A). 1 etude requires 5 octave
Program Notes: Marimba: Technique Through Music! Author
Mark Ford discusses specific marimba stroke techniques, practice tips and
performs each of the book's 16 etudes in the video library below. Designed to help the
intermediate four-mallet marimbist, this video is a unique educational
resource that delivers more than just exercises and etudes. Students can
watch detailed explanations of marimba technique to develop their own
performing skills. Students have the best chance for building technique
and musicality by working on short selections in a variety of different
musical styles. This text guides the student through several etudes that
focus on different musical applications of one specific technique. Each
section of the book begins with a brief introduction to a specific stroke
followed by graduated etudes that utilize that stroke. In this manner, the
student will become confident with these basic strokes and their application
to musical expression on the marimba.
Review: "Each of the 16 etudes in this superb collection is composed to assist the intermediate four-mallet marimbist in learning a specific pedagogical technique. The 16 marimba solos are varied in their musical style, and each focuses on a specific technique. After an introduction to this 64-page loose-bound collection, general comments by Mark Ford regarding stroke concepts, getting started, and chordal applications precede six sections that are named “Single Independent Strokes,” “Single Alternating Strokes,” Double Lateral Strokes,” “Double Vertical Strokes,” “Chorales” and “Combined Strokes.” The first two sections each have two etudes, while the remaining four sections have three etudes each. Of particular interest is Ford’s concluding sections on “Chorales” and “Combined Strokes.” Both contain more difficult etudes—any one or a combination of which might be appropriate for the younger college-age recital (e.g. junior recital) or as potential contest/festival selections for intermediate to advanced high school marimbists. The titles of the tonal chorales are “Wellington,” “Azalea” and “Coventry,” and their tonalities are D-major, F-major and B-major, respectively. In the introductory remarks to “Chorales,” Ford suggests several outside listening examples or the student to reference regarding appropriate chorale style considerations. The concluding section’s titles are “Birchbrook,” “West Oak” and “Stoneman.” These solos present multi-metered, contemporary-style compositional techniques. The final composition in this collection, “Stoneman,” is dedicated to Ford’s uncle, Bill McClintock, who lived next door to Ford when he was growing up. The sensitive “dolce” marking for this 3/4, B-flat major etude provides a gentle musical tribute to an individual who obviously impacted Ford’s life significantly. “Stoneman” would be appropriate for an undergraduate college percussion recital. Although this composition requires a fiveoctave marimba, the remaining solos in this collection can be performed on a low-A marimba. Congratulations to Mark Ford for providing 16 etudes that will permeate the teaching and performance pedagogy of marimba students for years to come." - Jim Lambert Percussive Notes, April 2006
Mark
Ford is a marimba artist and the Coordinator of Percussion at The
University of North Texas College of Music in Denton, Texas. As a
Past-President of the Percussive Arts Society and the coordinator of one
of the largest percussion programs in the United States at UNT, Ford is an
active performer and composer. Mark has been featured as a marimba
soloist throughout the United States at universities, festivals and music
conferences. He has performed internationally throughout Europe as well as in
Japan, China, Taiwan, Australia and South America. In addition to his
duties at UNT, Ford is also the Artistic Director for the annual Drum Fest
Marimba/Vibraphone Competition in Opole, Poland.
With
over three decades of performing, teaching and composing to his credit, Mark’s
recordings have established his dedication to excellence in music. Ford’s solo
marimba CDs, Stealing a Moment, Motion Beyond and Polaris,
have become standards in the percussion world. His CDs have been
described by PAS’ Percussive Notes as “beautiful,
exceptional and virtuosic.” Mark has also recorded numerous
concertos with the UNT Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon.
These include two DVDs and a CD with Japanese virtuoso marimbist Keiko
Abe as well as the latest 2017 Wind Symphony recording, Stubernic
Fantasy, which includes marimba/percussion concertos by Jennifer
Higdon, Daniel McCarthy, Keiko Abe and Ford (this recording will be released in
December 2017).
As
a composer Mark Ford has written popular works for solo marimba and percussion
ensemble including Marimba Heritage, Head Talk, Polaris, Kingdom
Lore Fanfare, Stubernic, Afta-Stuba!, Morning Light, The Surface of Life
and Coffee Break (co-composed with Ewelina Ford). His Stubernic
Fantasy Concerto was premiered in Poland (orchestral version by The
Opole Philharmonic) and the Mid-West Band and Orchestra Convention (wind
ensemble version by the Lone Star Wind Symphony) and has been performed on tour
by the US Navy Band and the US Air Force Band. His compositions have been
performed at universities and concert halls throughout the world and also
featured on National Public Radio. His most recent works include Moon
Chasers for solo marimba, IE2 written for the Ju
Percussion Group in Taiwan and Pivot Point for saxophone quartet,
marimba and cajon. Ford is also the author of Marimba:
Technique Through Music, a four-mallet marimba method book published by
Innovative Percussion, Inc. His new book for marimba, Marimba
Songbook will be released in the fall of 2017.
Ford
has been recognized as a leading percussion educator, and his former students
perform and teach throughout the country. Under his direction the UNT
Percussion Ensemble has toured in Poland, Croatia, France and Belgium and also
won the PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition. Mark Ford
proudly represents Innovative Percussion Inc., Dynasty Percussion, Bergerault,
Zildjian, Evans Drum Heads, and Meinl Percussion as performing artist and
clinician.
Click here for Artist Bio