Three Summits: Concerto for Trombone for tenor trombone and wind band, full orchestra, or piano reduction
Mount of the Holy Cross
Town of Independence, Population 1
Race to the Clouds
Program Notes
Since moving to my adoptive home of Colorado, the state’s rugged landscape has never ceased to enchant and inspire me. Most iconic are the Colorado Fourteeners: the mighty peaks above 14,000 feet that call to adventurous people throughout the world. My new concerto for trombone depicts views of three such mountains from different angles and different seasons to create a hopefully engaging meeting of my favorite instrument and my home. First is the Mount of the Holy Cross viewed in midsummer. This famous peak with a distinctive cross-shaped snowfield is depicted in all its glory after a steady ascent from the nearby Vail Valley with a few references to famous Christian hymns. Next is Mount Elbert seen from Independence in midwinter. The ghost town of Independence sits near Colorado’s highest peak in a pristine alpine valley and only one resident remained after the brutal 1899 winter. Hushed, faintly remembered campfire songs waft through the naked aspens, frozen lakes, and skeletal cabins. Last is the notorious Pikes Peak Hill Climb also known as The Race to the Clouds. Early each summer since 1916, daring auto racers summit the only Fourteener accessible by motor vehicle. Raucous engines and death-defying curves provide for an aggressive and white-knuckle ride to the top and a hopefully breathless conclusion to the concerto.
Work Details
Duration, 12-16 minutes
Solo Difficulty: advanced but attainable by accomplished undergraduate or graduate student trombonists (ossia provided for extreme upper range)
Ensemble Difficulty: Medium-Advanced (Grade 4/5, advanced high school ensembles)
Anticipated Completion: Spring 2023, no later than July 1, 2023
Consortium Performance Exclusivity: August 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024
Full orchestra version will be available by early 2024
Consortium Membership Levels
Full Membership
Cost: $125
Includes signed and bound solo part, bound wind band score, PDF piano reduction, and PDF wind band parts
Name and institution included in published score
PDF files of orchestral score and parts provided when available
Limited to 30 professional trombonists or university faculty members