Written for Yoshiko Tsuruta, Farr's Marimba Concerto opens with momentum and mystery, setting the mood for the 18 minute virtuosic performance to come. The marimba is often found paired with the winds creating exciting dialogues between these two disparate choirs. With lush strings, dynamic solo lines, and mercurial fluidity Farr's Marimba Concerto is perfect for any percussionists repertoire
Gareth Farr is an indisputably colourful figure in New Zealand music. And whether scored for percussion duet or the resources of two large orchestras, Farr's music reflects his personality – bold, brash, or delicate and sensuous, but inevitably, immediately, engaging. Rhythmic elements of his compositions can be linked to the complex and exciting rhythms of Rarotongan log drum ensembles, Balinese gamelan and other percussion music of the Pacific Rim. In addition to his music for the concert chamber, Farr has written music for dance, theatre and television.
