DESCRIPTION:
UTM Percussion Majors, students of Dr. Julie Hill, Colby Snider, Cory Bozard, Daniel Vargason, and Stephen Hughes perform Christopher Deane's marimba quartet 'Vespertine Formations.' This performance was recorded on April 16, 2010 at the Tennessee Music Educators Association clinic in Nashville Tennessee. Recorded and mastered by Barry Lumpkin.

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VESPERTINE FORMATIONS: The concept for the piece was to explore ways of creating a sense of sustain on four marimbas through extensive use of stretto and imitation. Rather than approaching an ensemble such as this in a traditional choral configuration of soprano, alto, tenor and bass, this piece focuses on keeping most of the musical activity within the same register. All four voices serve as equal members of one collective image. Vespertine Formations is dedicated to Harold Jones who was the professor of percussion at East Carolina University for many years. The motivation for this work comes from a phenomenon in nature. It is a common sight to see huge flocks of birds performing amazing aerial maneuvers in the evening sky over North Texas especially in the Autumn. The ornitholigical sky forms witnessed during one particular sunset in Fall of 2001 served as an undeniable point of inspiration during the compositional process for this piece. The wing motions of so many birds suggested the texture of constant sixteenth notes. As the brilliant orange sunset diminished to dusk, the birds settled into trees around the campus. The fantastic choreography created by this flock of birds and the natural chronology of events guided the structure and form of this piece.

CHRISTOPHER DEANE: Christopher Deane is associate professor in percussion at the University of North Texas. Prior to his appointment with UNT, he was the principal timpanist of the Greensboro Symphony for nine years and a regular performer as both percussionist and timpanist with the North Carolina Symphony for ten years. He has performed with numerous orchestras including the Cincinnati Symphony, Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra and the Spoleto Festival Orchestra.

Deane's chamber music experience includes performances with the Aeolian Chamber Players, the Percussion Group Cincinnati, the Mallarme Chamber Players, and the New Century Saxophone Quartet. He is a founding member of the Philidor Percussion Group. Recording experience includes the North Carolina Symphony, the Cincinnati Philharmonia, the Crofut Consort, Mallarme Chamber Players, and the St. Stevens Chamber Orchestra.

Deane has won both first and second prize in composition from the Percussive Arts Society. A number of his compositions are considered standard percussion repertoire and are played internationally. Deane has appeared as a performer, composer, or clinician at seven Percussive Arts Society International Conventions. Deane is an Artist/Educator clinician for Innovative Percussion Company and Sabian Cymbals.