Dark Skies and Distant Worlds – April 11, 2026, 7:30 P.M.
Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center, Cedar Falls, IA
Tickets: Dark Skies and Distant Worlds with Heartland Marimba | GBPAC

Jenni will conduct her Death Valley Symphony  by Heartland Marimba with 100 singers

Assisted by the Met Chorale, Bel Canto Cedar Valley Chamber Choir, and University of Northern Iowa Percussion

3 World Premieres by HM Artists: Jenni Brandon, Matthew Coley, & Marco Schirripa

Heartland Marimba is joining forces with two other Cedar Valley ensembles—The Met Chorale and Bel Canto—to present a captivating concert combining mallet percussion and choir. Dark Skies and Distant Worlds invites the audience on a sonic and visual voyage through some of the most stunning and mysterious locations across our solar system. Celebrating the magic of our natural world, the performance also aims to inspire environmental awareness. Six HM Artists will take the stage with an extraordinary collection of instruments, including several 9-foot marimbas, as well as glass, stone, and otherworldly metal percussion. With many performances across the country and around the globe, Heartland Marimba continues to showcase the unique artistry of its musicians and instruments for enthralled audiences.

Death Valley Symphony by Jenni Brandon (composer and conductor)
      I. Badwater Basin [marimba quartet]

     II. Clay Pipes and Spiral Shells [two marimbas and narrator]

     *III. Erosion’s Grotto [chamber choir and marimba quartet] – WORLD PREMIERE

     IV. Dark Sky [SATB chamber choir, SATB choir, marimba quartet, percussion ensemble, piano]