Tamarack & Birch by Jacob Emch

Tamarack & Birch is an adrenaline-raising work that provides an excellent challenge/reward ratio for the intermediate to advanced marimba soloist. Each movement works well as its own stand-alone piece (about four and a half minutes each), but goes better together as a larger work.

Program Notes
Tamarack & Birch is a two-movement work that gets its name from the two contrasting wood species. Tamarack, a fast-growing pine, and birch, a strong hardwood. Derived from the Algonquin term “akemantak,” meaning “wood for snowshoes,” Tamarack’s root fibers were used to sew together Birch bark to make canoes. Similar to the woods, each movement of the work stands well on its own, but also goes well in conjunction with one another.