Waltz for a Windy Day by John Willmarth

John Willmarth’s light and airy solo for vibraphone Waltz for A Windy Day was composed for his wife and daughters and is meant to reflect a sunny, breezy day in South Carolina. In this uplifting solo, John begins the piece with running sixteenth-note arpeggios which help set the overall wistful nature of the piece. He then introduces the main melody and accompaniment, which is touchingly song-like. The sixteenth-note arpeggios return and the pieces comes to a close, quoting the main melody in its final bars. Although this piece is playable on a standard 3-octave vibraphone with only two-mallets, more experienced players may find it preferable to use four mallets.