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Amplifying unheard musical voices sets Modern Marimba apart from other musical organizations in the Sarasota area. Both Tihda Vongkoth, President and co-founder of Modern Marimba, and Steph Davis, Vice President and co-founder, knew they wanted to express themselves through their musical gifts from a young age.
The passion behind Modern Marimba focuses on bringing a diverse group of voices and music together to produce authentic art. They want their music to be more than just telling it like it is but create music that allows people to imagine what is possible.
As a Black artist, Steph Davis grew up learning the techniques and sounds that have come out of the Western-style; however, as Steph has learned more about his expression and musical ideas, he aims to infiltrate sounds and techniques that are intensely and specifically Black.
Modern Marimba seeks to spark an interest within their concerts and music to inspire hope and bring change within the community and public policy. Their music aspires to be multi-generational so that everyone who hears their music can relate and resonate with their performance.
The creative process of forming Modern Marimba was built around the idea of creating a safe place and program for diverse artists to thrive and feel comfortable taking risks. “We want to remove obstacles of employment and support creative opportunities for marginalized artists who must often navigate predominately white institutions,” Tihda Vongkoth said. As a result, modern Marimba has opened the doors for many artists to express their creative gifts and allowed them to move forward with the calling of the arts placed upon their lives.
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