Kari Brooks and Kelly Deklinski, Reporters

First on this year's Festival of Trumpets program was Arrival of the Queen of Sheba for 12 trumpets by G. F. Handel directed by David Hickman. This work is scored for two choirs, each with two piccolos and four trumpet players. Each phrase of the work offered a different orchestration, sometimes starting with a piccolo duet, and at other times combining trumpets from both choirs for the melody. (KD)

A lyrical melody sang over the room as the opening solo fanfare from Fanfare for St. Edmundsbury by Benjamin Britten sounded from the back corner of the auditorium. A more insistent fanfare followed from the other side, fading away on a sustaining pitch. A third melody enters from the stage and then fades to nothing as quickly as it began. Staying at separate ends of the room the three combine, creating a beautiful mixture of unique harmonies and independent rhythms that come together at the end for a final brilliant trumpet call. (KB)

No. 12 from Zwölf Stücke fur Drei Trompeten by Anton Diabelli gave the audience the opportunity to hear natural trumpets and kettle drums. The work, played on long models, was three phrases long that were contrasted by dynamics. The first phrase was played forte followed by the same phrase at a well-controlled piano ending with a healthy fortissimo. (KD)

In the beginning of There's a Great Day Coming by Raymond Burkhart a lone trumpet plays the opening theme. Soon, more trumpets join in, imitating a walking bass line. This jazzy piece quickly fills the room as the ensemble enters in a gospel-like style. David Champouillon, Al Hood, and Marvin Stamm traded brief solos and this finger-snapping piece ended with the required high note. (KB)

Summer Remembrance by Raymond Burkhart was one of the most intriguing pieces in this year's concert. Scored for four soloists in three trios, the piece opened with a lyrical solo from backstage. Solos from stage right, stage left, and the rear of the stage followed immediately after, each of which explored the opening theme with different ranges, articulations, and intervals. The trios entered next with rich chords and a full sound. An additional series of onstage solos were followed by another entrance from the trios. The piece concluded with a final solo from backstage. (KD)

Processional Fanfares from Representation of a Musical Sea Battle was one of two pieces performed on natural trumpets in the concert. In typical baroque style, this quartet, along with kettledrum accompaniment played the two short fanfares with stately elegance. Incorporating lip trills and great contrasting dynamics, these difficult instruments took us back in time on this Ferdinand Donniger work. (KB)

Eric Ewazen's pieces were featured several times in this year's conference, including a performance of Fantasia for Seven Trumpets. Not easy by any means, the work was rhythmically complex and explored a variety of textures and meters. (KD)

Suite for Five Trumpets by Ronold LoPresti opened with a big majestic sound that split off into a background rhythmic motive with a flowing melodic line singing above. The warm chorale-style movement that followed blended nicely and built to a climax. The final movement concluded with a light and lively feel finishing with a slight ritard and a grand chord. (KB)

Bonsoir et Au Revoir by Alexander Guilmant and arranged by Bert Truax was scored for four trumpets and featured a beautiful melody that alternated between the 1st and 4th parts. (KD)

Written for trumpet, horn, and trombone, Trio for Brass, Mvt. I: Allegro Deciso by Lauren Bernofsky provided a nice change of scenery from the all trumpet ensembles. The catchy melodies and aggressive rhythms in the piece made for a pleasantly intense performance. These three musicians played extremely well together as a trio and in solo passages. (KB)

Congratulamini Mihi by Giovanni de Palestrina is four part polyphony at its finest. This arrangement by Mel Broiles was performed with fine intonation and a delicate balance. If you enjoyed this piece, some of you may be surprised to find it stashed away in your own library of the ITG Journal (it was included as a supplement in the September 1986 ITG Journal). (KD)

Written in honor of the International Trumpet Guild, this selection explored arpeggiated lines and stair stepping bell tones. With a massive sound, they traded lines with an occasional passage leading up to a resonant high note. The second part of the Fanfare for the International Trumpet Guild by David Uber was equally exciting with trumpets signaling authoritatively to the very end. (KB)

Next on the program was Mosaik Mit Mozart by Karl-Heinz Koper. The piece explored several themes of the classical composer and featured a challenging piccolo part performed brilliantly by Travis Heath. (KD)

Full of scale patterns and delayed resolutions, Prelude and Fugue in E minor by J. S. Bach was beautifully played with clean and uniform articulations and a warm sound. The matching tones of the four musicians made it hard to tell one from the other in the fugue, creating a seamless flow of melody and harmony. (KB)

Movement one of Music for Five Trumpets by Verne Reynolds began with an aggressive fanfare. The middle movement was slow and lyrical and was performed fluidly and with fine intonation. The final movement was in a brisk triple meter that showed off the performer's abilities to match articulation in an eighth-note ostinato that alternated between players. (KD)

As a slow Latin accompaniment grooves in the background, a solo piccolo, played by Matthias Höfs, peacefully sounds above. A marimba and triangle add a little spice to the mellow mix of this piece. The piccolo sounded as light as a feather as it danced gracefully for the entirety of the piece, effortlessly maneuvering around stylistic turns in this David Marlatt work titled Piece en Forme de Habañera for solo piccolo trumpet and five trumpets. (KB)

Storm's Path by Brian Balmages, which was premiered at the 1999 ITG Conference, opened with several unison melodies. As the “storm” grew so did the intensity in the ensemble. At its peak, sixteenth note runs cascaded up and down the trumpet line until a brilliant solo rose above the fury. (KD)

Gaudy Flourishes by Stephen Allen is scored for trumpet, flugelhorn, cornet, and snare drum. The combination of these instruments created quite a color change, and when each put a different mute in and the snare drum changed to a harder stick, the sound became even more unique. This group performed with great energy and musicality, giving a very solid performance. (KB)

Eric Ewazen was featured a final time at this year's conference with a performance of Sonoran Desert Harmonies. Impressively, the eight-member ensemble performed this difficult work without a conductor. This work also explored a variety of textures, with rich chords building in pyramids throughout. (KD)

The final performance of the evening was Ride of the Walküre by Richard Wagner, arranged by David Reynolds. The stage was completely full of trumpet players and the audience braced themselves for the gauntlet to be thrown down. Trills on top of more trills, mixed with sixteenth note runs added up to a growing roar of sound. The familiar melody of this piece soared over the top of the still increasing roar. With multiple piccolos, E-flats, B-flats, flugelhorns, and C trumpets combining in a wall of sound, this massive gathering of musicians gave it their all as they filled every inch of the hall. With piccolos screaming on pitches that dogs fear, the piece concluded with a sound that left a slight ringing in your ear. It was a powerful end to a fabulous trumpet-filled concert! (KB)