Outback Suite by Amanda Sycamore

Outback Suite is a suite of three pieces that can be performed together or as short standalone works. Each movement elicits a scene from the beautiful and diverse Australia.

Filling a void in early four mallet literature, these pieces focus on developing core four mallet technique while sounding like recital works rather than etudes. Utilizing a 4-octave range, these pieces are accessible to most marimbists.

The driving rhythms of Boomerang focus on the double vertical stroke as well as single independent strokes, while the joyous melodies of K’gari (the world’s largest sand island) concentrate on combining double lateral strokes with double verticals. The Never, Never (the vast remote area of the Australian Outback) uses a free rhythmic style to enhance the players musicianship in performing four mallet rolls and using rubato phrases to express themselves musically.