PERCUSSION MARIMBA COMPOSITION
Steve Falk, an Australian percussionist and composer, possesses a profound interest in music across all genres and cultures. He thrives on collaborating with artists from diverse backgrounds to create original pieces, often showcasing his mastery of the marimba.
Falk's musical journey has taken him across continents, performing alongside leading contemporary improvisers in Australia and Japan. His six-year residence in Tokyo from 2005 to 2011 enriched his musical palette and global perspective.
Notably, he has been commissioned by Museums Victoria to compose for the Federation Handbells, with his piece 'Welcome' resonating at venues like Melbourne's Federation Square, during the Light in Winter Festival, and during the unveiling of the Inflatable Refugee, a poignant representation of the global refugee crisis. In 2009, at the Dance Triennale Tokyo, he performed Steve Reich's "Drumming" as part of the production "La Vie Qui Bat" by the Canadian dance company, O Vertigo. The following year, alongside fellow Australian Andy Bevan, Falk formed the world music duo "Duality" and captivated audiences at the historic Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto. Their collaboration expanded further, joining forces with Shonosuke Okura, a master Otsuzumi player of the Noh Theatre tradition, and guitarist Slava Grigoryan to create "Four Winds" for the OZAsia Festival at the Adelaide Festival Centre. He appeared as a soloist with the Yamaha Wind Orchestra in 2022 and recorded Gary Wain's Marimba Concerto No. 2 in Hobart 2024.
Falk has performed with the Melbourne, Queensland, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras, Orchestra Victoria, and Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa in Japan. Not confined to classical settings, he has lent his percussion talents to numerous musical theatre productions, including smash hits like 'Mamma Mia!' and "We Will Rock You". As musical director for the Australian dance sensation 'Tap Dogs' He travelled to New Zealand, Japan, China, Korea, and India. Falk founded Redwood Music with sound engineer and producer Darren Hulcombe in 2015 to create music for Australian cosmetic brand Aesop's "Taxonomy of Design" - a series of short films showcasing their global stores.
He attended the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Victorian College of The Arts, Queensland Conservatorium of Music, and Toho Gakuen College of Music in Tokyo, where he studied under the tutelage of Keiko Abe. Currently, Falk imparts his knowledge and passion for percussion as a faculty member at The University of Melbourne.
Instruments are not mere tools for Falk; they are extensions of his musical identity. He proudly chooses Yamaha percussion instruments, with his favoured YM6100 Marimba being a constant companion.