167 - Robert van SiceRobert van Sice is considered one of the world’s foremost performers of contemporary music for marimba. In an effort to establish the instrument as a serious artistic vehicle, he has premiered over 100 works throughout the world. Four of the seminal works in the marimba repertoire were written for him: Peter Klatzow’s Dances of Earth and Fire, Alejandro Viñao’s Estudios de Frontera, Martin Bresnick’s double marimba concerto, Grace; and James Wood’s Spirit Festival with Lamentations. Spirit Festival is unique in introducing the newly developed quarter-tone marimba, an innovative instrument recalling the marimba’s ancient sonic routes while establishing new parameters for modern expressionism.Watch here. Listen below.0:00 Intro and Hello2:23 Teaching and perfomring?  Nessasary to be both?7:00 Job descriptions these days...  Some thoughts on the new generation of students  11:55 Thoughts on  Keiko Abe?13:55 How has marimba writing and performance changed?22:25 Ben: quick on James Wood.  Your relationship with James Wood?34:13 Podcast speed trivia39:25 Developing your signature marimba and mallets.  46:26 Laurel's master class with Mr. Van Sice...oh...13 years ago...?49:30 How  education has changed higher-ed, for better and for worse.