Joy

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Description +
- “Life isn’t just doing things for yourself. It’s possible to live in such a way that other people’s happiness makes you happy too."
  - Asuna Yuuki (結城明⽇奈), protagonist from Sword Art Online (ソードアート・オンライン) (2012)
  
  Joy takes some of the signature elements of my recent compositional style and transforms them into a simpler, groove-based piece.. Techniques and cues from my other pieces Honest, Summer from Simple Solos Vol. 1 [SEASONS], The Power Of Unity: Zodiac Story and Together appear regularly throughout this piece, albeit in a more entry-level style which will suit anyone who is new to my music and wants a simpler way to start.
  
  The background story of Joy comes from the warm feeling I feel when I remember the people who have supported me, such as my family, my friends, my teachers and mentors and even complete strangers who watch my content from around the world. I finished writing Joy in April 2024 after reminiscing the warm and loving feeling of playing concerts together with one of my alma mater percussion ensembles, Defying Gravity Percussion, as well as playing alongside my partner Machi Ishida in Japan just weeks before. These two events have been dreams of mine for many years now, and this work represents the joyful and grateful feelings that come from being close to those who care about you.
  
  Joy is written as the Compulsory Work for the finals of the Marimbafest 2024's A CLASS Solo category, marking my fourth Compulsory Work that I've written for the Marimbafest competitions of 2021, 2022, 2023 and now 2024. As the A CLASS Solo category has become more competitive and high level in recent years, Joy has a healthy balance of restricting the use of advanced level marimba skills (e.g. there are no big octave runs, difficult chorale passages or extended techniques), while also inserting subtle challenges occasionally to see how this year's participants will handle (e.g. lots of phrasing breaks, mini chorale roll at the end, wide distance between both hands).
  
  The key for Joy is to retain a feeling of groove and movement for most of the piece. Unlike many of my other 4.3 octave marimba solos, this work should evoke a feeling of excitement and energy throughout, with minimal rubato and espressivo sections.
  
  Joy was written for Marimbafest 2024's A CLASS Solo Category and was world premiered at Marimbafest 2024 by Adam Tan on 30th June 2024
Instrumentation +
- Marimba (4.3 octave)
About the composer +
- Adam Tan is a marimba soloist, educator and composer based in Perth, Western Australia. Adam is most known for being a YouTube content creator on THE STUDIO, a self-produced YouTube show uploading weekly episodes for education and entertainment relating to percussion.
  
  Adam has performed and presented in-person in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Taiwan and the United States, and has also presented online classes in Argentina, Central America and the United Kingdom. Highlights include solo performances at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC), inc. percussion days (Japan), PAS Hong Kong Days of Percussion and Oh! Asian Percussionists Series (Hong Kong), Malaysia Percussion Festival, Chosen Vale Percussion Seminar (USA), Australian Percussion Gathering and masterclass presentations at the 505A Percussion Gathering (Hong Kong), MalletLab Summer Intensive (USA), WA Day of Percussion (Australia) and various universities and schools across Taiwan.
  
  As a composer, Adam's works for percussion are performed regularly as they appear in repertoire lists for auditions, examinations and competitions around the world, such as the UIL Texas Prescribed Music List (PML). Adam’s works can be listened to on all music streaming platforms and stores.
  
  Adam is the founder and director of Marimbafest Australia, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of percussive arts in Australia, curating various events including the annual marimba festival and competition Marimbafest, as well as the annual concert series Percussion All-Stars.
  
  Adam has a Master of Music (Research, Percussion) and Bachelor of Music (1st Class Hons) from the University of Western Australia Conservatorium of Music.
  
  Adam is a Marimba One Premier Artist and a Signature Artist of Encore Mallets with his own signature series of mallets. Adam's compositions are published by Edition Svitzer.

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