Musical instruments baffle me. I personally don’t excel in playing any of them. However, that itself attracts more of my attention towards them. Before the Art-A-Thon event, I never knew that an instrument like Marimba existed. It looks like a vibraphone but made completely out of, what seemed like bamboo. It sounded similar as well, but distinct. Last time I saw a vibraphone was during my high school’s spring show. I was the second in charge of the event. A guest artist came to play vibraphone and he was letting me help him set it up. That was the first time I saw such an instrument in person, and I wanted to learn the mechanics and how to play it. I had similar experience during Art-A-Thon’s music event.

In the event, Professor Peter Wellington demonstrated how to play the Marimba. He was very energetic and enthusiastic. He explained the historical significance of Marimba and how he learned to play this instrument. Some of the students present at the event played Marimba with the professor. I later found out that they were all students of Professor Wellington’s class. Well, for a logical reason. The room was way too small for outside students to join the event. I wanted to try the marimba too. But I didn’t want to spoil the exclusive vibe in the room. There was only one person in the room who I knew. That was a little bit of relief while I stood for an hour among the crowd. It was becoming unbearable to stay in such a tiny room but did not want to leave. I wished to know more about marimba—how to play the instrument and its mechanics. From what I understood from watching and listening, Marimba is not a primary instrument in any music, rather can be a complementary to the melody of a song. After observing for several minutes, I figured out how the instrument work. When the top pads are hit with the sticks, it vibrates the string underneath them. Sound waves then travels through the empty bamboo shells and gets amplified when they come out from the bottom. It was a great experience for me to see Marimba being played. Although I could not learn to play it that day, it did inspire me pursue to learn it. I hope college hosts such event throughout the year.