Song and Dance

Item details

• Description +

  • Duration: 7 min.
    
    Written in two contrasting sections, Song and Dance is a work for solo marimba and percussion trio. The first section (Song), explores the lyrical nature of the marimba, and is composed in a chorale style. Instruments with a natural long sustain, such as suspended cymbal, large wind gong and tubular bells, are utilised to accompany the solo marimba part. The solo marimba plays mainly in its low to mid range, which also highlights this technique of sustain. 
    
    For the most part of the second section, Dance is quite rhythmic and percussive. The contrast is achieved by the addition of instruments in the accompaniment, such as doumbek/darbuka, djembe and tambourine. This is highlighted by the percussion trio in the solo section. 
    
    Song and Dance is commissioned by the Australian Percussion Academy, Melbourne for the Australian Marimba Competition 2016.
    
    Robert Oetomo

• Instrumentation +

  • Percussion Quartet:
    
    Soloist
    Marimba (5-octave) 
    
    Percussion 1
    Vibraphone
    Suspended Cymbal (large: 18" or 20")
    Tambourine Darbuka * 
    
    Percussion 2
    Wing Gong (large)
    Mark Tree
    Tubular Bells
    Glockenspiel
    Darbuka * 
    
    Percussion 3
    Bass Drum
    Djembe  *)
    
    Optional: Bongo or Conga

• Watch+

  • Performed by Robert Oetomo with Wei-Chen Lin, Lynn Vartan and Kana Omori
    
    

• About the composer +

  • Indonesian-born Australian percussionist and composer Robert Oetomo (b. 1988) studied his Master of Music (Künstlerische Ausbildung) degree in performance at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Mannheim, where he received highest distinction for his final graduation recital in 2014. He completed his Bachelor of Music (Performance) Honours Class I at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia in 2010. His previous teachers include Professor Dennis Kuhn, Jasmin Kolberg, Claire Edwardes, Daryl Pratt, Richard Miller and Gary Wain. He has accumulated many national and international awards including third prize in the Vibraphone category of the 9th Percussive Arts Society Italy International Percussion Competition in 2011, the ‘Just Percussion Marimba Prize’ at the Australian Percussion Gathering (APG) 2010, first prize in both the Open Marimba and Open Vibraphone categories of the 2010 Australian Percussion Eisteddfod and second prize at the 2008 Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Snare Drum Award. He also won the 2010 Sydney Conservatorium Percussion Concerto Competition, and was finalist in the 2012 Yamaha Music Foundation Europe Scholarship Competition.
    
    A versatile percussionist, Robert has performed with different orchestras and ensembles including the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, the Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, the Kurpfälzischen Kammerorchester Mannheim, the Australian Youth Orchestra, Synergy Percussion and Mannheimer Schlagwerk. He presented his paper, ‘The Transcription of J. S. Bach’s Unaccompanied Cello Suites for the Modern Marimba,’ at APG 2010 Symposium ‘Moving Ground – The Changing Face of Percussion’. Robert was invited to perform his work, The Legend of the Golden Snail, at the Gala Concert of APG 2010, performing with highly acclaimed percussionists including Steve Schick, Sylvio Gualda and Kuniko Kato.
    
    As a composer, Robert passionately advocates the development of percussion music. He has composed numerous works for percussion which have been performed all over the world. His first symphonic work, Spirit of The Dreaming with solo didgeridoo, was premiered at the ‘2008 Aurora Music Festival’ in Sydney, Australia. Later that year, it was performed again with renowned didgeridoo soloist, William Barton. Robert was selected for the 2010 Ku-Ring-Gai Philharmonic Orchestra Composers' Workshop program during which he composed his new orchestral work, Reflections on an Island’s Landscape, under the mentorship of composer Nigel Butterley and John Peterson. His works are published by Edition Svitzer and Tapspace Publications. Robert is an Encore Mallets, Inc. endorser.

• Credits +

  • Front Cover graphics and layout: Evi O. (www.evi-o.com)
    Photo: Hari Oetomo
    Engraving: Robert Oetomo
    Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark
    Copyright © Edition SVITZER
    www.editionsvitzer.com

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