Note: Program Notes are listed in alphabetical order by section.

Program Notes for solos & ensemble catalogue items:

Autumn Portrait by Nicholas Papador
About Autumn Portrait the composer writes, “I composed Autumn Portrait as a student in early 1996. I had recently completed my first proper percussion recital and became excited about trying out my newly developed abilities on the marimba.

The piece functions technically as a developmental etude a four-mallet marimba player focusing on one single alternating sticking permutation, chorale style, double vertical strokes as well as basic shifts and interval movements between the hands.

Despite the purely pedagogical basis for the writing the piece, the resulting music began to take on its own character and color. The whirring texture and static harmony of the opening passages reminded me of dried leaves being blown in circles on a windy fall day. This image inspired the title of the piece.
Since its original printing in 1997, Autumn Portrait has become a frequently performed piece for college-level and professional recitals nationwide. The piece is currently a high school percussion competition solo selection in the states Florida and South Carolina.

My thanks go out to Alan Keown for his initial encouragement and help in developing this piece so early in my career.”

CAFFEINE by James Armstrong
It’s 3:30am. As another pot of coffee begins to brew all you can think is “I HAVE to finish it!”
Most of us have been there. Working late nights trying to meet an early morning deadline. Caffeine takes on the personality of such nights. Written in one sitting, the piece was conceived out of a single melodic line with all melodic and rhythmic variations inspired by the agitation associated with the common alkaloid. Several interlocking rhythmic figures between marimba and vibraphone weave themselves through harmonic and melodic discourse. The piece is essentially set to an A-B-A form, with the B section portraying a sense of calmness or re-gathering of thoughts. The listener may hear hints of montuno and a quote from jazz pianist Chick Corea’s classic “La Fiesta.”

Copperline Breathing by Nicholas Papador
Copperline Breathing was composed in the fall and winter of 2000-2001 for the Northwestern University Percussion Ensemble. The NUPE premiered the piece in February 2001, which was later revised in the fall 2003 for performance with the Florida International University Percussion Ensemble.

The predominant pitch material in the piece is based on the major third and perfect fifth intervals, which are used linearly and harmonically to create neo-impressionist soundscapes influenced by the music of Jacob Druckman. The sense of bravura and pulse in the work was inspired in no small part by marimbist and composer Michael Burritt, to whom the work is dedicated. Some of the musical aesthetics and behaviorisms were inspired by American novelist Paul Auster. The title of the piece was taken from a passage in the composer's 1999 vernacular song titled Beyond and Above.

Pure White by FANG Man
As colors have been the main source for Fang's writing music, most of her compositions are based on the imagination of colors. Pure White for mallet quartet was readapted from the second movement of Fang's piano suite titled Three Colors for Two Pianos. The main theme of Pure White was composed during a beautiful night when the stars were embelishing the sky and the moon was round and bright. The piece centers on a pentatonic melody divided into two parts. The melodic lines develop independently and the patterns of the rhythmic phrases are gradually shortened as the piece nears its end.

Summer Evening Serenity by James Armstrong
Somewhat of a counterpart to Caffeine, Summer Evening Serenity draws upon simplicity to convey a sense of relaxation and content. The entrance figure played by vibraphone began as an idea for solo vibraphone. This theme was later adapted for mallet duet and most specifically the Marassa Duo. Summer Evening Serenity was inspired by warm summer nights in Ithaca, sitting on the back porch watching the moon rise over the trees. A very personal, relaxed time when the mind wanders while you lament about days gone by and what the future may hold.

Temple of Apes by Scott Snow
Set in three sections, Temple of Apes begins with a thunderous unison figure featuring congas, bongos, tom-toms, and bass drums, continuing with a continually shifting ostinato over which players from opposing sides trade solos. The middle section explores the rhythmic intricacies of the Afro-Haitian rhythms Yanvalou and Ibo, from the Vodou tradition. The final section showcases an array of displaced rhythms and rhythmic interplay within the ensemble.

Program Notes for steel band catalogue items:

Dancin Down Green Street by James Armstrong
The composer writes: “Dancin’ Down Green Street” takes its name from a one-way street leading into downtown Ithaca. Once upon a time there was a local establishment located on Green Street that many of the Cornell University Steel Band members used to frequent after rehearsals. One evening as I returned from a gig I happened to pass this establishment, and much to my surprise, saw one of the SB members dancing down the side of the road. At the very next rehearsal I consulted this person about their activities, only to learn that he had recently passed his ‘A’ exams (needed for completion of graduate work) and thought that dancing down Green St. was an appropriate celebration for the moment. The following week I passed out a piece I had been working on for the band to read, which was yet to be titled. It was a unanimous decision by the band to title the piece “Dancin’ Down Green Street.”
James Armstrong is the Director of Percussion Ensembles at Cornell University, where he directs two steel band ensembles. The Cornell Steel Band premiered “Dancin’ Down Green Street” during the spring semester of 2005.

Merengue Se Atreve by Jorge Cuevas/ arr. Armstrong
Jorge Cuevas was born in New York City and grew up in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. “Merengue Se Atreve” was influenced by his time spent in Puerto Rico and in the Dominican Replublic. The tune was originally written for a salsa band and later adapted for steel band. The chorus (letter B) can be translated as: “Merengue se atreve (Merengue dares), Merengue se mueve (Merengue moves), Merengue si puede moverte con ritmo (Merengue can move you with rhythm).” The composer writes this about the piece:
"I was in Upstate N.Y. on my way to a gig in my old Ford band van on a very cold night. I stopped at a traffic light wishing that I were dancing at a beach in Puerto Rico or in The Dominican Republic. Right away I started to hear the possibilities of “Merengue Se Atreve.”

A Night In Old San Juan by James Armstrong
Imagine a beautiful mid-December evening, gazing out over the ocean, and walking along an uncrowded beach with only the stars and the moonlight to guide your path. “A Night In Old San Juan” was inspired by this very scenario as my wife and I spent time in Puerto Rico during our belated honeymoon in December 2005. San Juan is a beautiful old Spanish city with plenty of activity any time of day and has since become one of our favorite places to visit.

James Armstrong is the Director of Percussion Ensembles at Cornell University, where he directs two steel band ensembles. The Cornell Steel Band premiered “A Night In Old San Juan” during the spring semester of 2006.