Album for the Young

Album for the Young: each
Composer: Oetomo Robert

Title: Album for the Young Composer: Robert Oetomo Instrument: Marimba Genre: percussion Year of publication: 2012 Duration: Review (Percussive Notes, May 2014) Inspired by Schumann and Tchaikovsky, Australian composer Robert Oetomo has assembled a collection of short, original programmatic works that offer sincere musical possibilities to the four-mallet marimbist. Dedicated to his two nephews, the title of each work (or “miniature”) reflects an aspect of early childhood: “The First Steps,” “Peek-a- Boo,” “Chucking a Tantrum,” “Sweet Dreaming,” “Under the Weather,” and “And off they go!” While you need a low C for the entire set of six pieces, three can be performed using a low-A instrument, and one requires a low E. Even though the composer emphasizes that this collection is not intended as a series of technical studies, but rather as performance solos, it is apparent each work is based on a specific technique (double vertical, single alternating, double lateral, rolls, etc.). The publisher lists all levels (beginner to advanced) in this collection so there is something for everyone. However, this does not take away from the charm and musical integrity contained in each movement. Overall, the brevity and accessibility of each section would make it a highly rewarding and encouraging experience. Bravo! —Jason Baker Album for the Young During my early years of piano training, I recall being introduced to the pieces of Schumann’s Album for the Young, Op. 68 and Tchaikovsky’s Album for the Young, Op. 39. The pieces in both albums, which were specifically composed with children’s hands in mind, help young pianists to build technical skills at the same time as developing a sense of musicality and musical skills. Schumann composed his pieces for his three daughters; Tchaikovsky, inspired by Schumann’s album and his other works for children, dedicated his album to his nephew. For many of the same reasons as Schumann’s and Tchaikovsky’s, I was inspired to compose my own Album for the Young, a collection of miniatures for solo marimba. I wanted the miniatures to be manageable for the hands of beginners new to four-mallet technique. However, the collection can also be used by those wanting to develop and maintain their four-mallet technique at intermediate and advanced levels. My Album for the Young is dedicated to my two nephews, Jason Chun and Zachary Sun. I want to stress that my Album for the Young is not a collection of technical exercises or a method book for four-mallet technique, but rather a collection of miniatures that prioritise musicality and various musical skills, for which specific four-mallet techniques are required. The order of the miniatures does not imply any chronological order of level of difficulty. Each miniature has been inspired by and reflects different actions typically carried out by toddlers: I. The First Steps Difficulty: Beginner II. Peek-a-Boo Difficulty: Advanced III. Chucking a Tantrum Difficulty: Beginner – Intermediate IV. Sweet Dreaming Difficulty: Beginner – Intermediate V. Under the Weather Difficulty: Intermediate – Advanced VI. And off they go! Difficulty: Beginner – Advanced Robert Oetomo Credits Front Cover graphics and layout: Evi O. Engraving: Robert Oetomo & Johan Svitzer Special thanks to Anna Zeltzer Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark Copyright © Edition SVITZER