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Taking Flight
In Taking Flight, Kyle H. Peters paints an honest and reflective picture of the little challenges and victories around leaving the nest for the first time.
Written for an advanced player on a five-octave (low C) marimba, the piece takes the listener on a journey—from unexpected trips straight to the ground to finally achieving flight on one’s own. The rubato nature of the work as well as the level of expression required to perform it paves the way for the player to tell his or her own story.
Taking Flight ships as a professionally bound folio with a color cover.
Marimba — 5-octave
Kyle Peters has released numerous works for solo marimba over the last few years. While most of these are geared towards beginning and intermediate four-mallet players, “Taking Flight” is written with the advanced marimbist in mind. At just over six minutes in length, it is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate or first-year graduate students.
As stated in the program notes, “Taking Flight” serves as a metaphor for leaving the nest and learning to fly on one’s own. The work consists of five distinct sections, with the first and final ones containing similar thematic material. It also features a short, chorale-like passage and a larger, quicker segment that comprises most of the piece.
A number of technical challenges are presented, including rapid double-lateral gestures and dense diatonic runs utilizing the inner mallets. One of the most complex rhythmic concepts used throughout the work is consecutive quintuplet, sextuplet, and septuplet figures. It is recommended that players feel comfortable with these prior to beginning the work.
Despite these challenges, the greatest difficulty in “Taking Flight” is the player’s ability to musically execute the molto rubato sections. Expressivity and character are essential to an effective performance, making it suitable for individuals whose technical prowess allows for musical interpretation and execution. “Taking Flight” is a palate-cleansing composition that would make a beautiful addition to any advanced recital program.
—Danielle Moreau
Percussive Notes
Vol. 62, No. 2, April 2024
In Taking Flight, Kyle H. Peters paints an honest and reflective picture of the little challenges and victories around leaving the nest for the first time.
Written for an advanced player on a five-octave (low C) marimba, the piece takes the listener on a journey—from unexpected trips straight to the ground to finally achieving flight on one’s own. The rubato nature of the work as well as the level of expression required to perform it paves the way for the player to tell his or her own story.
Taking Flight ships as a professionally bound folio with a color cover.
Marimba — 5-octave
Kyle Peters has released numerous works for solo marimba over the last few years. While most of these are geared towards beginning and intermediate four-mallet players, “Taking Flight” is written with the advanced marimbist in mind. At just over six minutes in length, it is appropriate for upper-level undergraduate or first-year graduate students.
As stated in the program notes, “Taking Flight” serves as a metaphor for leaving the nest and learning to fly on one’s own. The work consists of five distinct sections, with the first and final ones containing similar thematic material. It also features a short, chorale-like passage and a larger, quicker segment that comprises most of the piece.
A number of technical challenges are presented, including rapid double-lateral gestures and dense diatonic runs utilizing the inner mallets. One of the most complex rhythmic concepts used throughout the work is consecutive quintuplet, sextuplet, and septuplet figures. It is recommended that players feel comfortable with these prior to beginning the work.
Despite these challenges, the greatest difficulty in “Taking Flight” is the player’s ability to musically execute the molto rubato sections. Expressivity and character are essential to an effective performance, making it suitable for individuals whose technical prowess allows for musical interpretation and execution. “Taking Flight” is a palate-cleansing composition that would make a beautiful addition to any advanced recital program.
—Danielle Moreau
Percussive Notes
Vol. 62, No. 2, April 2024
