Tchaikovsky Project: Week 8 (Final)

Introduction:

My interest in this project developed from three primary motivations. First, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of my favorite composers, yet very few of his solo works are represented in the percussion repertoire, largely because he did not originally write for percussion. Second, much of the classical repertoire adapted for percussion tends to center around composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, Maurice Ravel, and Jean Sibelius. Expanding this repertoire to include a composer like Tchaikovsky offered an opportunity to contribute something less commonly explored. Third, this project provided an opportunity to collaborate with JT Clancy IV, with whom I have developed a growing chamber music partnership. Our shared interest in Tchaikovsky made this collaboration especially meaningful. This project resulted in the commissioning, arranging, and performance of an adaptation of an underrepresented work by Tchaikovsky. The selected work, The Seasons, was originally composed for solo piano. In collaboration with JT Clancy IV, he arranged and we performed two movements, “February” and “March,” as a marimba duet. This process involved both the technical adaptation of the music to the instrument and the interpretive collaboration necessary to effectively translate the character of the original work into a percussion setting.

Project Results: 

Overall, the results of this project were highly successful. JT and I were able to produce and perform a finished product that closely aligns with our individual career goals, his focus on composition and my interest in premiering new works. This project allowed us to engage directly in those areas in a meaningful and practical way, resulting in both artistic and professional growth. In addition to the final performance, the process itself was a significant outcome. We were able to continue developing our collaborative relationship in a context that felt both necessary and personally meaningful. Working together on both the arrangement and performance aspects of the project strengthened our chamber musicianship, communication, and shared interpretive approach. The final product not only reflects our combined efforts, but also demonstrates the potential for future collaborations. This project reinforced our shared interest in creating and performing new or underrepresented works, and it has laid a strong foundation for continued work together moving forward.

Timeline:

Week 1: Focused on individual practice of “February” while the arrangement was being finalized, with early identification of problem areas.

Week 2: Continued individual work alongside initial rehearsals on the opening sections of “February.”

Week 3: Shifted toward more chamber work as the piece became more comfortable, allowing for greater focus on ensemble and musicality.

Week 4: Received “March” and began individual practice on it, while continuing to rehearse “February” as a duo.

Week 5: Began rehearsing “March” together and worked toward completing “February” for full runs.

Week 6: Ran both movements under tempo to evaluate progress and identify areas needing refinement.

Week 7: Reached near performance tempo, performing both movements back-to-back with greater consistency.

Week 8: Focused on final run-throughs leading up to JT Clancy IV’s recital, where both movements were performed in a polished and performance-ready state.

Reflection:

Overall, this project was a very meaningful and practical experience, both musically and personally. Working on arranging and performing Tchaikovsky’s music in a percussion context pushed me to think beyond typical repertoire and approach the material with more creativity and flexibility. It also gave me a clearer sense of how much work goes into bringing a piece from an idea to a finished, performance-ready product. 

One of the main challenges we faced was balancing the timing of the arrangement process with rehearsal time. Since JT Clancy IV was still finishing parts of the arrangement early on, we had to adapt our rehearsal plan and focus heavily on individual preparation before full ensemble work was possible. Another challenge was translating piano textures into a marimba duet in a way that still felt musically complete. We had to make constant decisions about voicing, balance, and how to divide material between parts. These issues were solved through consistent communication, trial-and-error in rehearsals, and being willing to revise ideas that did not initially work in performance. 

Through this project, I gained several important skills. I developed stronger ensemble communication, especially in how small rhythmic and phrasing adjustments can significantly impact overall cohesion. I also improved my ability to adapt non-percussion repertoire to the instrument, particularly in finding ways to preserve melodic clarity and harmonic structure on marimba. For example, in sections of “February,” we had to redistribute accompaniment figures multiple times to make the texture clearer and more playable while still maintaining the character of the original piano writing. 

Moving forward, this project will directly support my future career goals in both performance and collaboration. As a percussionist interested in premiering and developing new works, this experience reinforced the importance of working closely with composers and arrangers to shape music in its early stages. It also strengthened my confidence in taking on unfamiliar repertoire and making artistic decisions in real time. Overall, this project helped me grow as a chamber musician and gave me practical experience that I will continue to draw on in future performances and collaborations.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRPFkuMYFzc