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Dr. Andrea Venet wrote the first version of Kibo in 2005 while studying rudimental snare drumming with the famous Bob Becker. She later updated the piece after studying other great rudimental works by John S. Pratt and Joseph Tompkins. Elements of these composers can be found in Kibo, such as a variety of rudiments, a host of sticking permutations, various treatments of ruffs and flams, and a wide range of dynamics.
While composing Kibo, Venet was inspired by Africa, a song by the 80’s rock band Toto. While not a cover, the piece does contain harmonic motives and rhythmic cells sourced directly from the song.
• 2 vibraphones
• 2 marimbas—(1) low A, (1) low C
• Snare drum
This ensemble work for snare drum soloist and mallet ensemble utilizes materials from the hit 1980s song “Africa” by the band Toto. These references, particularly the harmonic ones, will be immediately recognizable to an audience, putting a smile on the face of any fan of ’80s music for the almost five-minute length of the piece.
While the soloist part contains references to “Africa,” these materials are manipulated through the lenses of popular rudimental composers such as John S. Pratt, Bob Becker, and Joseph Tompkins. All these influences work well together to create a cohesive unit in the snare drum part. The “charge strokes” found in Tompkins’ French-American etudes transition easily to the use of traditional rudiments found in the Pratt work.
The Becker influences can be found in his book Rudimental Arithmetic, which Becker was developing at a time when the composer was studying with him. As the program notes state, Becker’s book “explores conceptual relationships between arithmetic, rudiments, and rhythms while explaining application to things such as sticking permutations, meter and grouping, and polyrhythms.” While this concept is very interesting, it can make the music a little more challenging by grouping what would otherwise be standard sixteenth notes in unusual ways. These challenges are overcome with just a small amount of effort, however, and the concepts that are brought to light make for an even more meaningful experience.
Technically, the challenge of this piece is almost completely on the soloist. The mallet ensemble parts require only two-mallet facility, and rhythmically they show little demand beyond a dotted-eighth rhythm in one bar of the piece. This makes the piece perfect for someone who wishes to solo with a less experienced ensemble.
“Kibo” combines the harmonic language of ’80s rock with the rhythmic complexity of advanced rudimental etudes in a way that is sure to please audiences. With the option to improvise by the soloist at the end, this piece can work in a variety of situations based on the needs of the soloist or ensemble.
—Brian Nozny
Percussive Notes
Vol. 56, No. 2, May 2018
Dr. Andrea Venet wrote the first version of Kibo in 2005 while studying rudimental snare drumming with the famous Bob Becker. She later updated the piece after studying other great rudimental works by John S. Pratt and Joseph Tompkins. Elements of these composers can be found in Kibo, such as a variety of rudiments, a host of sticking permutations, various treatments of ruffs and flams, and a wide range of dynamics.
While composing Kibo, Venet was inspired by Africa, a song by the 80’s rock band Toto. While not a cover, the piece does contain harmonic motives and rhythmic cells sourced directly from the song.
• 2 vibraphones
• 2 marimbas—(1) low A, (1) low C
• Snare drum
This ensemble work for snare drum soloist and mallet ensemble utilizes materials from the hit 1980s song “Africa” by the band Toto. These references, particularly the harmonic ones, will be immediately recognizable to an audience, putting a smile on the face of any fan of ’80s music for the almost five-minute length of the piece.
While the soloist part contains references to “Africa,” these materials are manipulated through the lenses of popular rudimental composers such as John S. Pratt, Bob Becker, and Joseph Tompkins. All these influences work well together to create a cohesive unit in the snare drum part. The “charge strokes” found in Tompkins’ French-American etudes transition easily to the use of traditional rudiments found in the Pratt work.
The Becker influences can be found in his book Rudimental Arithmetic, which Becker was developing at a time when the composer was studying with him. As the program notes state, Becker’s book “explores conceptual relationships between arithmetic, rudiments, and rhythms while explaining application to things such as sticking permutations, meter and grouping, and polyrhythms.” While this concept is very interesting, it can make the music a little more challenging by grouping what would otherwise be standard sixteenth notes in unusual ways. These challenges are overcome with just a small amount of effort, however, and the concepts that are brought to light make for an even more meaningful experience.
Technically, the challenge of this piece is almost completely on the soloist. The mallet ensemble parts require only two-mallet facility, and rhythmically they show little demand beyond a dotted-eighth rhythm in one bar of the piece. This makes the piece perfect for someone who wishes to solo with a less experienced ensemble.
“Kibo” combines the harmonic language of ’80s rock with the rhythmic complexity of advanced rudimental etudes in a way that is sure to please audiences. With the option to improvise by the soloist at the end, this piece can work in a variety of situations based on the needs of the soloist or ensemble.
—Brian Nozny
Percussive Notes
Vol. 56, No. 2, May 2018
