Murakami’s Empty Chair for solo percussion by Ben Wahlund

Murakami’s Empty Chair is a multiple percussion solo written to pay homage to the great Japanese author, Haruki Murakami.  At the time I was composing this, I was simply mystified by how Haruki Murakami could write such challenging literature that is so accessible to the common reader but still wonderfully strong in form and content – like an absurd mix of Kafka, Vonnegut and the $2.99 romance novels found in grocery store lines.  I have never found such an intriguing balance of the logos/pathos dynamic as that which is found in Murakami’s work.