PLEASE NOTE: This purchase is for a downloadable PDF copy of the piece. You will NOT receive a hard copy shipped to your address. Hard copy from Edition Svitzer available here.
 
Watch the video of me playing Honest first:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxjLffmIoww
 
"I was rushing desperately, trying to reach the light. 
When I thought I did, I reached a dead end instead. 
Then I decided I wanted to enter that light. 
And at the edge of it, I found you. "
- Hodaka Morishima, from Weathering With You (天気の⼦) (2019)
 
Honest is the first 5.0 octave advanced solo I've written since Skyward (2019). It is a representation of the feeling of receiving a person's honest and warm support in difficult times, giving you the strength and determination to move forward in the face of adversity.
 
I wrote Honest for my partner Machi Ishida, who is a world-class solo marimbist based in Hiroshima, Japan. Machi's unwavering warm support of me and genuine nature made it easy for me to construct Honest, which references themes from popular music that represent both of our personalities - nostalgic Japanese music (there are alludes to Kenshi Yonezu's Lemon, Gen Hoshino Comedy, Ikimonogakari's Arigatou and Joe Hisashi's One Summer's Day in the melodic writing) and familiar Chinese pop (references to Mayday's Suddenly Missing You + Breakthrough Day, Eason Chan's King of Karaoke, Jay Chou Blue and White Porcelain + Simple Love).
 
Honest's main theme, which is introduced after the opening chords, is an amalgamation of the above references. The theme remains always clear and the same as the original despite being transformed through modulations and rhythmic changes in the work, becoming more grandiose as the work goes on as the warmth envelopes the theme entirely. Honest climaxes with a tremendous octave section and semi-free power chords that trickle into a quieter more reflective version of the theme (with references to the style of Lemon and Comedy), before referencing an even smaller version of the main theme into a light cascading finish.
 
Honest was written for Machi Ishida and world premiered by Adam Tan at Percussion All-Stars 9: SPECIAL/ STAGE (Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, 24 June 2023).
 
Honest requires a 5.0 octave or higher marimba. You will receive one (1) PDF file with the full score.
 
Studio VIPs / Studio ARTISTs: Discount code available at patreon.com/adamtan! Use that code in checkout to gain 25% off this score (Studio ARTISTs) or 50% off (Studio VIPs)!