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Rustle was inspired during an improv session on an old, weathered marimba which had been used by several generations of students for marching band rehearsals. The frame rattled, the bars chirped together, and the strings were almost broken. Yet somehow this old, beat up instrument could still speak pretty in a soft, secluded room when played gently. Although there were other marimbas that were nicer, sometimes it’s the older ones that are the most “interesting”.

It was during a break when judging solo and ensembles at Russell County High School (KY), a place where I had spent four years as an assistant band director, when I formed the main idea for the piece. The title, Rustle, pays tribute to both Russell (County), where I have some of my best memories as a young teacher, and to the rustle of an old marimba in a quiet room.

Equipment used in video ….
Innovative Percussion IP703 (left hand)
Innovative Percussion IP704 (right hand)
Canon EOS 7D camera
Shure SM81LC (2 mics)
Focusrite Saffire Pro 40 Audio Interface
Logic Pro X
MacBook Pro