Snowfall

for solo marimba

Snowfall was inspired by the idea of the “snow day” and what it represents. When we are young, a snow day is an unexpected chance to play and explore. It’s a day when we are given permission to ignore the schedules and responsibilities that are normally part of our lives and chart our own path instead. 

Now that I am older, the idea of the snow day has become an important reminder of both the mental and physical rest we need to be creative. To maintain and nourish our sense of play and exploration, we must remember there are times when we need to give ourselves permission to rest, to experience unexpected opportunities, even small ones, that refresh our spirit. A gentle snowfall that is just enough to change our usual patterns without snowing us under.

I hope Snowfall will give students in their early years of playing marimba a chance to express themselves while perfecting recently learned techniques. And I hope more experienced players can find an emotional connection to the music and meaning of Snowfall as both performers and teachers.

– Blake Tyson

Snowfall is available as a PDF download from the Store at blaketyson.com