Solo marimba with percussion ensemble has quickly become what one might call a sub-genre of the marimba repertiore. This new work will be for solo marmba, four percussionists, and a computer-generated sounds controller. The computer-generated sounds will be triggered/manipulated through the use of an midi instrument controller. This controller could be a variety of midi-capable things: a Malletkat, a Xylosynth, electronic drums, etc. The computer-generated sounds, however, will not simply be midi in the usual (and awful) sence - functioning like a keyboard synthesizer with a one key, one note idea. In the case of this new work, complex computer events will be triggered by the controller - balancing the complexity of computer-generated sounds with the flexibility of a live performer.

Kevin Ernste is a composer, performer, and teacher of composition and electronic music at the Eastman School of Music where he has studied with Sydney Hodkinson, Augusta Read Thomas, Joseph Schwantner, Robert Morris, and Allan Schindler. Most recently he has been the Acting Director and lecturer at the Eastman Computer Music Center (Fall 2004), Co-director of the ImageMovementSound festival 2004, an instructor in composition, and a consultant to Cornell University's composition department (Symposium on electronic/computer music: Manoury, Lansky, Puckette, Cook, others).

His recent music includes a work for saxophonist Randall Hall, a piece for viola with electronic sounds for John Graham performed on Mr. Graham's May 2004 China tour (Beijing, Wuhan, Xiamen, Hong Kong), as well as at the Aspen Summer Music Festival, a piece for solo piano and tape narration for Fang-Tzu Liu called Long Path, recently performed in the National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan, and a work for chamber orchestra entitled To Linger Still which has received performances under Maestro David Gilbert, and Musica Nova's Brad Lubman.