Square One - Ensemble Version

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Description +
- Square One is a challenging marimba solo that showcases a performer’s virtuosity and endurance. The piece is built upon a singular rhythmic pattern; this opens the piece and reoccurs throughout the duration of the work in various forms, as if the performer and the audience are constantly being knocked back to square one.
  
  This version of square one is an expansion of the original solo marimba piece with percussion quintet accompaniment. The solo part is nearly identical to the original, allowing those who have learned the original version to easily play with an ensemble.
  
  Written for the World Percussion Group 2024.
  
  The piece is based on the following words:
  
  Have I made any progress in my journey at all? If I look back, how far have I actually walked Or have I always been circling Tracing the edges and corners of square one
  
  Joey Eng
Instrumentation +
- For Solo Marimba and Percussion Quintet
  
  Marimba (5 oct.) - soloist
  2 Vibraphones (3 oct.)
  Glockenspiel
  Crotales
  Djembe
  Darbuka
  3 Suspended Cymbals
  Sizzle Cymbal
  Shaker
  Caxixi
  
  Note: If no crotales can be sourced, the crotales part can be played on a second glockenspiel, with the bowed notes bowed on either the glockenspiel or Percussion 1’s vibraphone. It is also possible to play this piece with two suspended cymbals rather than three if one is shared between Percussion 4 and Percussion 5.
Watch+
- Performers
  Marimba: Joey Eng
  Percussion 1: Trik Gass
  Percussion 2: Emma Ng
  Percussion 3: Melody Tang
  Percussion 4: Josue Berrocal
  Percussion 5: Hyunwoo Kim
About the composer +
- Joey Eng (b. 2001) is a percussionist, composer and educator from Perth, Western Australia. He has performed and given masterclasses to audiences in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Spain, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Joey was the winner of the 2022 Warana Concerto Competition and a fi nalist in both the inaugural 2019 and the 2021 Marimbafest international solo marimba competition, in which he won 2nd prize and the audience choice award.
  
  A multi-skilled percussionist and collaborator, Joey has performed with many orchestras across Australia including the Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, Perth Symphony Orchestra, Australian Baroque, and the Australian Youth Orchestra. He was also a member and soloist with the World Percussion Group.
  
  As a composer, Joey’s solo percussion and chamber works are being performed regularly by thousands around the world and are on the repertoire lists for multiple notable competitions, including Marimbafest, the Australian Marimba Competition, and the East Switzerland Solo Competition. He has been commissioned by many ensembles/organizations, including the World Percussion Group, Edition Svitzer, Edith Cowan University, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and the Silver Sands Guitar Quartet. His compositions have been featured multiple times in the Percussive Notes magazine.
  
  Joey completed his Bachelor of Music from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, receiving the 2022 WAAPA Medal as the top graduate of the entire university. As an educator, he was a lecturer specialising in keyboard percussion studies at Edith Cowan University and has taught high school percussionists across schools in Perth, with his students winning a multitude of awards including the Premier of WA Award and the 2023 Marimbafest Open Class Ensemble 1st Prize.
  
  Joey is a Premier Artist for instrument manufacturer Marimba One (USA) and is endorsed by Salyers Percussion and Encore Mallets (USA). His compositions are published by Edition Svitzer (Denmark).
Credits +
- With support from Koda’s Cultural Funds
  Front Cover Graphics and Layout: Nicola Lee
  Photo: Joey Eng
  Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark
  Copyright © Edition SVITZER
  www.editionsvitzer.com

Square One - Ensemble Version

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