Blue Horizon - Marimba Solo by Austin Keck

Sheet Music: https://www.keckmusic.com/shop/p/blue...

Blue Horizon is my first solo written for 4.3 octave marimba. Many people have come to me and expressed interest in my music or solos but that they/their students are not at the technical facility yet or have the physical means(instruments) to play my music. This really struck a chord because I believe music should be accessible for all and Blue Horizon is my first step towards broadening the repertoire available at an accessible level.

Program Notes:
Blue Horizon is a marimba solo written for beginner to intermediate marimbists, designed to introduce expressive playing and musical phrasing at an accessible level. The title evokes the imagery of a clear, expansive sky, symbolizing optimism and the boundless possibilities ahead. This piece encourages young musicians to explore the beauty of tone and resonance in marimba performance while imagining new horizons in their own musical journey.

The inspiration behind Blue Horizon is twofold: it reflects the calm yet hopeful atmosphere of the music itself, and it represents a vision for the future of marimba repertoire. Beginner-level marimba solos are underrepresented in the percussion world, and this piece is intended to encourage more composers to create works that bridge the gap between early and advanced repertoire. Through Blue Horizon, I hope to inspire other musicians and composers to expand the accessible repertoire for young percussionists, sparking a movement toward developing a new generation of marimba players.