Concerto for Ivana (chamber ensemble version) by Igor Kuljeric

The inspiration for the Concerto can be found in the African music and its rhythms and colors, the Gamelan tradition of rhythmical polyphony, with sounds and colors of wood, copper, glass, water… I wanted to merge the historic form of the concerto with the non European traditions that live in the roots of the instrument and experience the marimba as a particular kind of piano with equally distinctive percussive and singing qualities. The orchestration was extremely important and I have used it to emphasize marimba`s wonderfully characteristic colors. I gave a stronger percussive character to the strings for ex. The concerto is in three movements (following the traditional scheme fast-slow-faster) which are connected, the structure is complex and the transitions between musical situations are fast and driven by musical associations. The basic elements consist of small melodic and harmonic cells. 

I used different compositional techniques and looked for inspiration in various musical styles.  I have always tried to contradict the musicologists` assertions that the traditional musical vocabulary has been fully exploited. I believe that if we put in different relations the so-called „impressionists“ chord, polyrhythm’s or rhythmical repetitiveness (that are usually connected with specific composers) they will become a new and fresh material ready for new musical ideas and developments. Since my daughter is a marimbist, writing this concerto was in a way a family debt and I was very enthusiastic about it.“