Soloist

Marimba

I am an experienced solo marimbist with a diverse repertoire of music from the Baroque, Classical, Romantic and Contemporary periods. I specialize in the music of J.S. Bach, original transcriptions of music written for other instruments (such as guitar, lute, cello and piano), as well as works by Japanese composers.

My programming ranges from light classics to contemporary repertoire from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods, and I create custom programs to fit audience preferences.

My performance style emphasizes expression, emotion and energy to invite audiences inside the spirit of the music.

Concerti

I have performed numerous solo concerti with orchestras, wind ensembles and choirs. I am particularly well known for my interpretation of Ney Rosauro’s first marimba concerto, my recording of which recieving critical acclaim.

My repertoire also includes concerti for multiple percussion and continues to expand with this ever growing canon.

I believe, as many cultural traditions do, that there is something special in the power of percussion instruments, which can be felt as well as heared, to move the soul of the listener as it does the performer.

Percussion Artist

My solo repertoire is not limited to the marimba. I give concerts and recitals that include works for solo vibraphone and multiple percussion - unique configurations of percussion instruments assembled from an endless variety of human invention of things to strike to make music.

This repertoire naturally tends to be more contemporary as compared to much of my solo marimba repertoire and aligns well with more ambitious new music concert programming.

My repertoire also includes a growing collection of my own original compositions that give my performances a personal connection and resonance with audiences.

Video

J.S. Bach | Suite for Solo Lute in G Minor | Prelude

The first movement of this suite, composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). Adapted for marimba, and performed, by Rod Thomas Squance.

Minoru Miki | Marimba Spiritual

Performed by Rod Thomas Squance, marimba, accompanied by the University of Calgary Percussion Ensemble: Chris Sies (director), Ernest Flancia and Henry Wu.

Recordings

Koyunbaba: The Transcriptions (2007)

The following tracks are from my solo marimba album, Koyunbaba: The Transcriptions. All tracks on this album are my original transcriptions of works originally written for other instruments, including piano, guitar and lute. Repertoire includes four of Chick Corea’s Children’s Songs, J.S. Bach’s Lute Suite No. 3 in G Minor, Isaac Albeniz’s Cordoba and Mallorca, Carlo Domeniconi’s Koyunbaba, and John Dowland’s Lachrimae.

Zeugma: improvisations spontané (2015)

These tracks are from Zeugma: improvisations spontané, my collaboration with Michalis Andronikou, playing the bouzouki, a Greek plucked lute. The album is the fruit of two days recording sessions of spontaneous, unplanned duo improvisations. The result is a beautiful collection of pieces for listening.

Selected Repertoire

Transcriptions of works for other instruments

Isaac Albéniz Asturias

Isaac Albeniz Cordoba

Isaac Albeniz Mallorca

J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major

J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 2 in D Minor

J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 3 in C Major

J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 4 in Eb Major

J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 5 in C Minor

J.S. Bach Cello Suite No. 6 in D Major

J.S. Bach Lute Suite No. 3 in G Minor

Chick Corea Children’s Songs

Claude Debussy Arabesque No. 1

Carlo Domeniconi Koyunbaba

John Dowland Lachrimae: Flow My Tears

Transcriptions with piano accompaniment

Camille Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

Fritz Kreisler Tambourin Chinois

Vittorio Monti Czárdás

Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee

see also repertoire under “Concerti”

Compositions for marimba with piano accompaniment

William Cahn In Ancient Temple Gardens

Clair Omar Musser Scherzo Caprice

see also repertoire under “Concerti”

Works composed for marimba

Keiko Abe Dream of the Cherry Blossoms

Keiko Abe Frogs

Keiko Abe Memories of the Seashore

Keiko Abe Michi

Keiko Abe Prism

Keiko Abe Wind in the Bamboo Grove

Michael Burritt October Night

Alfred Fissinger Suite for Marimba

David Maslanka My Lady White

David Maslanka Variations on Lost Love

Minoru Miki Marimba Spiritual

Joseph Schwantner Velocities

Eric Sammut Four Rotations for Marimba

Leigh Howard Stevens Rhythmic Caprice

Concerti

J.S. Bach Violin Concerto in A Minor

Christos Hatzis Tongues of Fire

David Maslanka Concerto for Marimba

Darius Milhaud Concerto for Marimba and Vibraphone

Darius Milhaud Concerto for Percussion

Ney Rosauro Concerto No. 1 for Marimba

Ney Rosauro Concerto No. 2 for Marimba

Ney Rosauro Concerto No. 1 for Vibraphone

Media

Bio

Rod Thomas Squance is very active as a soloist and freelance percussionist in chamber, orchestral, jazz and world music settings. His collaborations with renowned international figures are numerous. He has performed with Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project, clarinettist Paquito de Rivera, Korean traditional percussionist Dong-Won Kim, shakuhachi player Kojiro Umezaki, erhuist Yu Hongmei, and tabla players Prafulla Athalye, Sandeep Das and Abbas Janmohamed. Rod’s playing has been heard on national radio and television broadcasts. He appears in solo recitals regularly, including recitals for national CBC radio broadcasts, and has performed as a soloist with many other orchestras and ensembles. Rod holds a doctoral degree from the University of Miami, having received his formal training as a classical percussionist, but is equally comfortable playing jazz vibraphone. He is an experienced performer and scholar of Balinese gender wayang music, completing field research in Balinese music studying gender wayang with I Ketut Sukayana in Sukawati village, Bali. He is also an accomplished performer of Indian classical music, having performed Hindustani raga using a special marimba of his own design, accompanied by Mumbai based tabla player Shri Prafulla Athalye and touring with Canadian tabla player Zaheer-Abbas Janmohamed. Rod has studied percussion with Ney Rosauro and Glenn Price, Balinese gender wayang with Brita Heimarck, marimba with Leigh Howard Stevens and She-e Wu and for many years developed his musicianship under the mentorship of Canadian pedagogue and violinist, Thomas Rolston. He currently teaches ethnomusicology and percussion at the University of Calgary and has served on the faculty of the Banff Centre for the Arts.