American composer Easley Blackwood appeared in recital on September 25, 2008 at the University of Tennessee at Martin for the world premiere performance of his Opus 45 Sonata for Trumpet and Piano (2007).  Dr. Kurt Gorman, Associate Professor of Trumpet at UT Martin, performed the premier with the composer at the piano. This new composition was commissioned by Dr. Gorman in coordination with the Tennessee Arts Commission, the University of Tennessee at Martin and the Chicago Classical Recording Foundation.

Mr. Blackwood wrote of his new composition:

“My Trumpet Sonata was written for Dr. Gorman. Its style is reminiscent of Rachmaninoff and the conservative works of Prokofieff. The four movements are in conventional forms—sonata-allegro in E-flat minor, sonata without development in B-major, scherzo and trio in E-flat major and A-flat major, and finally sonata-allegro in C minor ending in E-flat major.”

Easley Blackwood is professor emeritus at the University of Chicago, where he has taught harmony and composition for over 40 years. Mr. Blackwood was a student of legendary figures in modern music including Nadia Boulanger, Paul Hindemith and Olivier Messaien. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra has premiered and commissioned many of his compositions, and over the last several years, Cedille Records has issued a large number of current and earlier works.