Sonata for trombone and piano

Program Notes

I wrote this sonata at the beginning of 2022, as we began to find our way back to one another in-person, after years of separation and isolation during the pandemic. In this time of reconnection, there was so much to catch up on, so much to say — and yet I was struck by how much I suddenly felt I couldn’t say. Either I no longer had the right words, or perhaps I realized the pandemic had changed my relationships to the point where we no longer had that collective vision and understanding of the world, that shared context and vocabulary.

This music was my way of exploring all the things I could no longer say in words. The moments where something dark was roiling inside me, and I feared that letting it surface would be too destructive. The moments where I wanted to sharply disagree, to lash out, and knew I couldn’t. The moments of internal reflection and reckoning.

Maybe you also experienced some of these darker moments as the world came back together. I hope this piece speaks to you, somewhere in your own internal dialogue. Even if the pieces of our society no longer fit together as they used to, may we find the new context together.
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This piece was written in close collaboration with Brittany Lasch — her insight and dynamism as a creative voice truly inspired the breadth of exploration in this work.

Performance Notes:

Much of the musical material in this piece comes directly from Hindustani classical music. The middle section of movement 1 is a chorale in Raag Megh. The melodic material in movement 2 alternates between Raag Chandrakauns and Raag Jog. Movement 3 is entirely in Raag Puriya Dhanashree. More material and audio guides will be available in the future.

Recording

see above

Audio Guides

Here are the audio guides that will help you understand the Indian classical elements in each piece:

Here is a playlist that will give you some context for the raags used in each of these movements. Feel free to skip around — most of these tracks start slowly and build in speed, so if you are looking for some faster music, listen to the later parts of these tracks:

Also, this video interview can provide some context about the piece:

Premiere/Performances

This work was premiered on May 7, 2022 at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Rittenhouse Square, in Philadelphia, PA. This recital was made possible by Astral Artists.

Commissioners:

Dr. Brittany Lasch
Astral Artist Micro-Commission Fund

The MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music at Bowling Green State University

CONSORTIUM MEMBERS:

• Myles Blakemore — Trombonist, U.S. Navy Band
• Brad Edwards — Professor of Trombone, Arizona State University
• Vanessa Fralick — Toronto Symphony Orchestra
• Richard Harris — Assistant Professor of Trombone, University of Denver
• Ross Holcombe — Assistant Principal Trombone, The Florida Orchestra
• Jeannie Little — Associate Professor of Low Brass, Montana State University
• John S. Neurohr — Professor of Trombone, Central Washington University
• Jemmie Robertson — Assistant Professor of Trombone, University of Florida
• Jason Robins — Alabama Symphony Orchestra
• Corey Sansolo — Axiom Brass
• Samuel Woodhead — Principal Trombone, U.S. Army Band

Press/Reviews