"Evanescence" by Austin Keck

"Evanescence", composed by Austin Keck for chamber percussion ensemble. **World Premiere
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Percussion Ensemble, under the direction of Brian Zator, performed their 2023 PASIC Showcase Concert, as one of three winners of the prestigious PAS International Percussion Ensemble Competition.
Evanescence (2023), for percussion quartet, is composed for the trio 3D percussion in collaboration with Austin Keck. The piece follows a narrative arc that is evanescent in nature, both in its form and musical motifs. The idea of music slowly disappearing and dissipating into nothing has always fascinated me, and it is the main inspiration for this piece. Another inspiration of mine is the idea that music evokes physical imagery, whether that be an abstract or something tangible. The ideas I present are developed only to be quickly faded out of the texture before moving on to the next idea. All of these motifs presented stem from a single idea that is manipulated and morphed into something new, almost unrecognizable from its original
form. As you listen to the piece, my goal is that the audience is taken on an experience that is linear in form, but memorable for the emotion and feeling it evokes rather than the thematic or motivic material. In the end, there is a return of the opening but only to fade quickly into oblivion and be forgotten forever. My hope is that this music and quality of being fleeting or vanishing quickly is evocative and creates an image in the listener’s head, whether it be the beauty of nature, or something more ethereal and other worldly.
Performers include: Noah Avelar & Makena Mailer, marimbas; John Wolff, vibes; Adam Whoolery, bells
Video used with permission. The Percussive Arts Society (PAS) is the world’s largest percussion organization, with nearly 6,000 members in over 80 Chapters across the United States and around the globe. PAS hosts the Percussive Arts Society International Convention (PASIC) annually, featuring the top names in drumming and percussion. This video is from PASIC 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana, November 8-11, 2023. For more information on PAS and PASIC, visit www.pas.org/ and www.pasic.org/, and subscribe to the PAS RUclips channel / @percussiveartssociety