solo marimba and six percussionists
11’00”
composed 2006
commissioned and premiered by Matthew Darling and the Fresno State Percussion Ensemble (Fresno, California)
Composer’s Note
Accidental Migration is a single movement work for solo marimba and percussion ensemble. The work is inspired by the excitement, stress, and fear brought forth from unanticipated change. Musically speaking, this is heard as seemingly consistent patterns make decidedly unexpected transformations. These occur either through changes in pulse, in melodic inflection, or in the overall stylistic feel of the work. The title Accidental Migration is a play on words, meaning both the unintentional arrival at a new location, as well as the constant movement of altered pitches (“accidentals”).