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

[@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.

[@andy88bali]

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

[@highstimulation2497]

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

[@highstimulation2497]

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

[@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

[@PercussionFriends]

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

[@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.

[@VincentHoudijk]

Stunning performance! Fantastic to have been there live!

[@highstimulation2497]

man THAT's how you do THAT! DAMN!

[@alessandrogerlo]

Best performance ever hands down

[@highstimulation2497]

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

[@WePercussion]

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

[@MatthewValenzuela]

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

[@scullyxenagg]

Fantastic! Congratulations!

[@highstimulation2497]

god dAMN, dude! BRAVO!

[@marimba54]

Excellent performance. Congratulations!

[@TOMKILLIAN-xo2mf]

Beast mode. Bravo!

[@NilsRohwer-composer]

meinen endlosen Respekt hast du

[@colinevans7796]

Wow

[@JohannesJerg]

Unfassbar! 😳

[@jehison5692]

La mejor performance 👏👏
Todo está perfectamente bien

[@highstimulation2497]

4:53 man, YEAH

Bravo!

[@kanibo0402]

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

[@danielledrums_]

Absolutely amazing! 😍🎶

[@AgentNight1]

this guy is insane oh my god

[@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! :-)

[@yelassinacoulibaly]

😍😍😍👏👏👏

[@VincentHoudijk]

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

[@klaasschippers3751]

Ik ook ! niet te geloven!

[@gianmarcopetruccipercussion]

10:07

[@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*

[@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!

[@user-vi6ub1yq5t]

6:32

[@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?

[@michelesogliadrums9862]

wow

[@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