HawkEye Review

Marimba rhythms take center stage
By DARCIE HOENIG
dhoenig@thehawkeye.com
4/22/09

Many percussionists use two sticks to create a rhythm on their instrument.

But as a master of the marimba, 26-year-old Mediapolis native Christopher Wilson simultaneously holds two mallets in each hand to pound out melodies.

"It's hard to learn at first. But once you get it, it comes pretty natural," said Wilson, who began playing the instrument that resembles a large wooden keyboard 10 years ago as a sophomore at Mediapolis High School.

On Tuesday, Wilson held assemblies at Corse and Grimes elementary schools to showcase the instrument and his music with kindergarten through fifth-grade students. For each group, Wilson talked about the origins of the marimba, recruited volunteers to try out various percussion instruments and performed songs from Africa and Central America.

"This instrument originated in Africa, and then it came to Central America via the slave ships," Wilson said. "Then it came through Mexico to America, where it is now used as a classical instrument."

While the marimba has been in existence for hundreds of years, it has only been a popular instrument in the United States for about 50 years.

"Because the instrument is so young, there are no classical composers before 1950 to compose for us," Wilson said. "So, we do more ethnic percussion, modern stuff that's been written recently, and then also jazz."

Wilson started playing percussion instruments in fifth grade but didn't develop his passion for marimba until age 16, when he started taking lessons from a graduate student.

"He just said, 'I thought you would like this. I think you'll dig this instrument.' And I did. He kind of pushed me down the path," Wilson said.

After graduating from high school, Wilson earned a bachelor's degree in percussion performance from Eastern Washington University in 2005. He then attended Boston Conservatory, where he graduated in 2007 with a masters degree in marimba.

While he was living out east, Wilson started performing at retirement homes, assisted living centers and schools. At first, he scheduled performances in such places because he couldn't afford to promote gigs as a student. But he found he prefers audiences composed mostly of people young and old.

"They seem to appreciate it a little bit more. Kids get really into it, and at the retirement homes they really enjoy someone coming in and playing for them," Wilson said.

Wilson teaches music appreciation at Kirkwood Community College. He also leads an after-school fourth- and fifth-grade percussion ensemble for the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy and teaches private percussion lessons through West Music Co. He also hopes to get into more schools to share his musical stylings with more students.

Wilson also performed a solo concert Tuesday night at the Arts for Living Center in conjunction with an exhibition promoting works by younger artists.

For more information, visit www.wilsonmarimba.com