World’s only touring classical marimba group coming to Warrenville

Heartland Marimba, the world's only touring classical marimba organization, is on the road with the sixth tour — “The Expanse Tour” — of their 11th season!

In the new year, Heartland Marimba hits the road again Jan. 10-13 with four days of educational and performance events in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.

On Sunday, Jan. 11, come out and witness the zippy hands and beautiful sounds of the marimbas performed by Heartland Marimba artists: Matthew Coley, Nathaniel Holman, and Sophia Lo.

Their program includes a mix of fun classics and music that reflects pop and contemporary inspired creations.

The concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 29W260 Batavia Road, Warrenville. Admission is free with a suggested donation of $25.

The program will feature “Samba” from “Divertimento for Three Marimbas” by Takayoshi Yoshioka; “Por una cabeza” — Traditional, arranged by Matthew Coley; Fugue no. 6, Op. 35 by Felix Mendelssohn, arranged by Sophia Lo; “(a)symmetry” by Robert Sanderl; “Danzas Argentinas” by Alberto Ginastera, arranged by Nathaniel Holman; Toccata and Fugue in D Minor by J.S. Bach, arranged by Coley; “Please Pay Us — We Play Marimba for a Living” by Ujjal Bhattacharyya; and “Grand galop chromatique” by Franz Liszt, arranged by Coley.

For information, visit heartlandmarimba.com.

Heartland Marimba has been committed to creating a viable market for the classical marimba art form since 2014. Embedded in this platform is a deep passion to bring marimba performance to communities of all sizes, especially small towns, and underserved communities.

The marimba has a special place in the percussion world. It is comfortably at home in the university music programs as the “grand soloist” instrument of classical percussion. Composers are producing more and more for this instrument and they have seen performance practice advance exponentially in the last 40 years. However, when many percussionists graduate with multiple music degrees, leaving their institutions as prescribed marimba soloists, they find a rude awakening. There have not been tangible means of practicing their art and surviving in the real world as a marimba player.

Heartland Marimba is working to change that for marimba artists, and in turn, benefit many communities. Heartland Marimba has produced more than 200 concerts in more than 50 cities since 2014. Thousands of children have experienced educational presentations by Heartland Marimba groups, more than 20 composers have written for Heartland Marimba groups, and at least 30 young artists have been employed by the ensemble. There have been five Heartland Marimba festivals at four different universities, the Heartland Marimba Quartet has done eight tours, and the Heartland Marimba Ensemble has done seven. They are currently in the midst of the 11th season which has included performances at the Midwest Arts Expo, University of Maryland, and the inaugural Musser Marimba Festival featuring over 40 marimbas on one stage with over 50 performers from around the nation.