2022 PAS Composition Competition Results

“compellingly unconventional...one of the most gorgeous and unsettling uses of bowing in the vibraphone”

The purpose of the PAS Composition Contest is to encourage and reward composers who write music for percussion instruments, and to increase the number of quality compositions written for percussion. The 2022 Composition Contest focused on solo percussion with chamber ensemble.

WINNER "Rubiks: A Learning Curve" By Allan X. Chen

This is an exciting new addition to the percussion concerto repertoir. The work is scored for vibraphone soloist, flute, B-flat clarinet, horn, trombone, harp, two violins, viola, and cello. The work is formidable for both soloist and ensemble, requiring an ensemble with technical prowess and nuanced sensitivity to timbre and rhythmic precision. "Rubiks: A Learning Curve" is an excellent option to program on a professional or graduate collegiate recital. The piece fills a specific niche that is not seen often in our current cannon of vibraphone concerti: a challenging yet idiomatic contemporary work for vibraphone and mixed chamber ensemble that is palatable to a wide array of audiences.

The vibraphone fluidly transitions between soloist and ensemble members. There are several moments where the vibraphone blends in with the texture of the accompaniment, then emerges from the ensemble into a soloistic role. The dual nature of the vibraphone part is an integral component in the unique and charming nature of the work.

The form of the work is compellingly unconventional, both for the ensemble members and the soloist, mimicking a mechanical whir where individual parts of a whole are sputtering to life and malfunctioning. The ensemble members and soloist rhythmically interact with unison motifs that contrast with chaotic and jagged hocketed syncopations, reminiscent of the Ligeti Piano Concerto. The composer writes, "Often the entire ensemble is treated as a single sonic organism, constantly shifting in color and effect. The individual parts often trigger, interrupt, blend with, surge out of or into, or contradict one another; its a chaotic and unstable machine constantly shifting and changing directions."

Once a section feels like it is starting to develop and hit its stride the character immediately changes, and a new section begins. The rapid shifting of character of the piece will keep audiences on their toes with a constant sense of anticipation.

The work expertly showcases the many timbral and expressive possibilities of the vibraphone. The composer utilizes pointillistic and jagged staccato gestures, lush chords, driving rhythmic passages, and an extended bowed aria that is one of the most gorgeous and unsettling uses of bowing in the vibraphone part is exceedinly clear, and includes many well-thought-out descriptions of the various types of pedaling and character the composer envisions for each section.

"Rubiks: A Learning Curve" is a refreshing and unique take on the vibraphone as a solo instrument. The uniqueness in form and the idiomatic writing for all members of the ensemble make this an attractive piece for programming in a wide variety of settings. I highly recommend "Rubiks: A Learning Curve" to anyone looking to add a fresh and exciting piece to their repertoire.