Kai Strobel performing Merlin by Andrew Thomas at TROMP 2018

18 November 2018, Kai Strobel won the 1st Prize of TROMP 2018. "Polished, musically intelligent and mature. Experience and control and great lines, full of details." (TROMP 2018 jury)
In November 2018, 28 of the most talented percussionists from all over the world participated in the TROMP International Percussion Competition Eindhoven to gain a spot in the Final. The participants were selected by a international jury of acclaimed artists including Michael Burritt (USA), Martin Grubinger (Austria), Momoko Kamiya (Japan), Arnold Marinissen (The Netherlands), Mark Pekarsky (Russia), Emmanuel Séjourné (France), and Ruwen Yang (China).
tromppercussion.com
video by Niec Filmt - niecfilmt.nl
recorded at Muziekgebouw Eindhoven - muziekgebouweindhoven.nl

[@benarmeni3370]

I’ve been watching this for years and it never gets old. Incredible performance

[@yuck871]

Literally the best performance of any piece ever here on TH-cam. Never seen anything like that.

[@doyeondykim492]

✔dynamic
✔detail
✔music
✔motion
✔technique
✔sound
Gorgeous!!💗
Best player of Merlin.
This video will be a legend👍

[@NapleStar]

literally the only thing he’s missing is pulsing of some sort but honestly how well he played makes of for something like that- that’s like a 99.98 performance to my eyes

[@DajenC]

​@@NapleStar Yea, and honestly I'd even disagree that that's an issue. I would bet almost anything that he consciously decided to ignore some of the pulsing to give it a more Molto Purpetuo Insistent feel. I'd call this interpretation of it perfect, through and through. I've heard this piece and looked through the music of this like a million times, and I heard a single wrong note. In one take, he did this better than any professional recording of the piece out there. Ridiculous.

[@j0br017]

This was insane. Wow

[@highstimulation2497]

OMG that little bit at 5:11... I observed a friend learning that exact bit ages ago at undergrad, and learned one or two bars of that phrase myself... I still recognize it, love it.

[@MatthewValenzuela]

Extraordinary performance. One of the best I've heard on TH-cam!

[@scullyxenagg]

Fantastic! Congratulations!

[@w.tibbsclemens636]

One of the best performance I've seen on marimba!

[@lukewyatt46]

I like Odessa better

[@highstimulation2497]

you SAID it!

[@w.tibbsclemens636]

@@lukewyatt46 who or what is Odessa?

[@lukewyatt46]

@@w.tibbsclemens636 It's a beautiful marimba piece by Matthew Lorrik and quite honestly it is my favorite marimba solo and my dream piece. I recommend listening to the video and checking it out!

[@GumzOnTheTrack]

@@w.tibbsclemens636 it's a marimba piece from Matthew Lorick

[@highstimulation2497]

I'd LOVE to hear him play the Keiko Abe solos THIS clean!!!! Especially at tempo.

[@highstimulation2497]

4:52... THAT's "the face." Love when music makes me make that face, when playing or listening.

[@PercussionFriends]

Magnificent performance! Even more so live at the concert. Very proud of you, Kai!

[@WePercussion]

Ohhhh yesss!!!!! I love this great performance!!!! You are AMAZING MAN!!!!

[@marimba54]

Excellent performance. Congratulations!

[@andy88bali]

WOW!!!! THAT'S INSANE!!!! SOMETHING TRULY AMAZING!!!

[@jehison5692]

La mejor performance 👏👏
Todo está perfectamente bien

[@alessandrogerlo]

Best performance ever hands down

[@highstimulation2497]

Wow, this guy's control and consistency are pretty GREAT!

[@TK-xo2mf]

Beast mode. Bravo!

[@VincentHoudijk]

Stunning performance! Fantastic to have been there live!

[@highstimulation2497]

man THAT's how you do THAT! DAMN!

[@highstimulation2497]

god dAMN, dude! BRAVO!

[@JohannesJerg]

Unfassbar! 😳

[@kanibo0402]

Boah Kai, ich stoß jetzt erst auf dieses Video?? Du abartiger Typ!! :D

[@NilsRohwer-composer]

meinen endlosen Respekt hast du

Bravo!

[@AgentNight1]

this guy is insane oh my god

[@danielledrums_]

Absolutely amazing! 😍🎶

[@highstimulation2497]

4:53 man, YEAH

[@doyeondykim492]

Mvt.2 start: 4:16

[@pawnstarsofficial9083]

Why would you want to know when the second mvt starts when no.1 is equality as good

[@doyeondykim492]

pawn stars Official this is just timeline!

[@EmoryBlake4Music]

@@pawnstarsofficial9083movement one isnt just as good, its required! :-)

[@colinevans7796]

Wow

[@yelassinacoulibaly]

😍😍😍👏👏👏

[@tonyoboe]

outstanding! what mallets does he use

[@kaistrobel1312]

hey toni! I used mixed pairs: 1st movement i played on Keiko Abe mallets 8665 in order to sound very dark and heavy.
for the 2nd movement i used my treasure old mallets from Adams BB series 1x yellow 3x purple in order to sound both articulated and massive!Greetings!

[@ARMProducts1120]

Never heard this piece live. But the projection might be NUTS! The piece overall is awesome! This’ll take me a year tops to learn. Lol
*COUGH COUGH* the second movement*

[@gianmarcopetruccipercussion]

10:07

[@michelesogliadrums9862]

wow

[@VincentHoudijk]

10:06 = I just took my hat off!!!

[@klaasschippers3751]

Ik ook ! niet te geloven!

[@erkin8657]

Mallets used on the video?

[@kaistrobel1312]

Dear Erkin! I used mixed pairs: 1st movement i played on Keiko Abe mallets 8665 in order to sound very dark and heavy.
for the 2nd movement i used my treasure old mallets from Adams BB series 1x yellow 3x purple in order to sound both articulated and massive! Greetings!

[@pakkmr.5099]

@@kaistrobel1312 Hi kai. Mallets ratten or wood?

[@user-vi6ub1yq5t]

6:32

[@gianmarcopetruccipercussion]

II mov 4:10

[@pakkmr.5099]

This mallets Ratten or wood? oh

[@danieldavis2049]

looks like rattan

[@Theduffman4333]

Jesus fucking christ

[@eboone]

Outstanding performance but this piece sucks

[@george9065]

cool story bro