Falling Forward

by Julie Davila

Medium-Advanced Marimba Solo

Instrumentation:

• Marimba (low A)

Falling Forward by Julie Davila explores a wide variety of four-mallet techniques through contrasting rhythmic and lyrical sections. The work combines energetic mixed-meter passages with flowing melodic writing, creating a study that is both technically demanding and musically engaging.

The opening half focuses on octave control in the right hand alongside combinations of single independent, double lateral, and alternating strokes. Frequent meter changes require careful counting and rhythmic precision. Later sections introduce triple strokes and extended flowing patterns that challenge the performer’s consistency and control.

Tempo changes, muted bar strikes, and nuanced use of articulations add variety while reinforcing the work’s technical objectives. The result is a substantial solo that reinforces coordination, rhythmic flexibility, and musical maturity across the full instrument.

This solo also appears in Sequential Studies for Four-Mallet Marimba Book 3 by Julia Gaines-Montag. It ships as a fully bound score.