Fanfare for an Occasion

• Contents: Transposed Score and Parts (PDF)

• Pages: 24

• Duration: 2'00"

• Grade: 4 / Medium Advanced

• Conductor (score only option available upon request)

• Trumpet 1 in Eb (Opt.)

• Trumpet 1 in Bb

• Trumpet 2 in Bb

• Trumpet 3 in Bb

• Trombone 1

• Trombone 2

• Bass Trombone

• Percussion 1 (Crash Cymbals, Snare Drum, Bass Drum)

• Percussion 2 (Triangle)

• Percussion 3 (Tambourine)

• Timpani

One of the most thrilling sounds that can be experienced would have to be the State Trumpeters filling the magnificent space of Westminster Abbey; not just with their glorious sound, but also with a sense of anticipation and occasion.

 
This impression formed the initial basis for wanting to set out and compose a fanfare of my own. Further inspiration was gleaned from the cinematic fanfares of Miklós Rózsa; and Britten’s use of percussion in his seminal work, “The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.” The end result became more of a concert fanfare for brass “and” percussion, rather than for brass “with” percussion.
 

 
This fanfare gave me the opportunity to explore the way lines and shapes can be created within music – as such, the teams of trumpets and trombones explore sectional contrary motion, and the cascading and “staircasing” of clustered chords.

 
This piece has flexibility for the lead trumpet player to perform the 1st trumpet part on either Eb or Bb trumpet. The instrumental parts have also been formatted in landscape if the piece is to be performed with the brass players standing, using backing cards and lyres.
 
 
In 2009, I had the pleasure of hearing the magnificent brass and percussion musicians from the Australian Army Band Sydney premiere this fanfare inside St Andrew’s Cathedral in Sydney (the oldest cathedral in Australia). More recently, a studio performance of the brass parts to this modern fanfare were recorded by the talented LA-based session musician, Joakim Toftgaard.

“It's a wonderful composition, with lots of dynamic interplay as the different voices weave and layer on top of one another throughout the piece. The sheet music is immaculate, conveying the musical ideas clearly and efficiently, which in turn allows the music to shine beyond the dots and dashes on the page. The orchestration lets each instrument play in its most sonorous range, effortlessly melding the entire brass section into a cohesive sound. While still a fanfare at its core, unexpected harmonies are sprinkled throughout the piece, grabbing the listener's attention and interest. In short, it does exactly what any good fanfare should do! A thoroughly well-written and polished piece.” - Joakim Toftgaard, LA-based performer, studio musician, arranger, and educator (16 May 21)