Shaping Sound

Chenoweth’s Legacy and the Marimba in Western Classical Music

De: Patrick Miller

Narrado por: Carrie Robinson

In the 21st century, it is not uncommon for percussionists to have a performance career, touring around the United States and the world with just a marimba. The marimba has become a staple instrument within the field of percussion, alongside the timpani, snare drum, and drum set. Despite its status as a primary melodic instrument in the solo percussion repertoire, the marimba’s evolution to its rank happened within a century.

During the beginning of the 20th century, women were relegated to the male-conceived notion of motherhood; this did not involve any aspirations of a career for women, let alone within music, despite the expectation of women to be associated with the arts. There were avenues for women to showcase their talents, but the pushback from the male population involved the discrimination of female musicians from male orchestras and bands. After World War II, the music industry became more accepting of women as professional musicians, but not without some minor pushback. Nevertheless, some female virtuosi were able to push through the barriers and become successful across all instruments, including the marimba.

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