The Concerto for Vibraphone and Orchestra was written in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil in 1995 and 1996 and is dedicated to Evelyn Glennie. The work was originally written for vibraphone and chamber orchestra (1 flute, 1 oboe,?1 clarinet, 1 bassoon, 2 horns, percussion and strings). The concerto was premiered with piano reduction during the 1996 Japan Percussion Festival in Tokyo, and the orchestral version was first presented at the composers’ festival ENCOMPOR in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil later that year performed by the composer and accompanied by the Orquestra Unisinos under the direction of Maestro Jose Pedro Boessio. The first arrangement for wind ensemble was made by Rodrigo Morte and the actual arrangement is by the composer.

The work is written in three movements and has a bridge connecting the last two movements without pause. The first and last movements are constructed over a mixed scale that combines lydian and mixolydian modes, which are quite often found in the folk music of northeastern Brazil.

The first movement develops from a chromatic theme, presented in a slow tempo in the opening measures of the work, and represents the constant life struggle of the poor people in the dry lands of northeastern Brazil.

The second movement is based on the Brazilian folk lullaby called Tutu Maramba, and depicts a child’s peaceful passage to a dream-filled slumber. The effect of playing the vibraphone with the rattan handle of the mallet recalls the sound of music boxes used to lull children to sleep.

The last movement depicts the flight of seagulls, which was inspired by time spent by the composer at Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, while watching a breathtaking view of the sun setting over the Arpoador rock formations. Percussive Notes magazine calls the concerto “an excellent showcase for the solo vibist, and, like the Marimba Concerto, another excellent work that audiences will find enjoyable and exciting.”