Christian Kilgore

A Message from the Composer

Far Away Places was written for my friends, Nicholas Bryant and Joe Tremper, for Nicholas’ final Master’s Recital at the Miami – Frost School of Music. As I was considering what thematic material I would like to write about, I could not help but think about the distance between us, as I am pursuing my DMA at the University of South Carolina. Nicholas was someone that I used to see every single day and now we live in completely different states; we’re lucky if we see each other once a year. This duet for marimba is meant to capture that bittersweet feelings for friendships that are separated by distance. People that you are happy for their success but wish you could be closer to. This work focuses on a theme of six for the six core friends we had in our younger years. Throughout the work, you will hear moments of longing and moments of joy. For the audience, I hope you can reflect and remember your friends in Far Away
Places.

-Christian Kilgore