The Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra began as a dream to write a large-scale work for trumpeter Ephraim Owens. While the trumpet part features Ephraim’s lyricism, fire, and physicality that I learned from twenty years playing by his side, the orchestra sings my love of tonal color, counterpoint, and symphonic texture. 

The work is a fusion of genres, combining blues, bebop, film scores, and American Spirituals, alongside orchestral influences from composers like Paul Hindemith and Lalo Schifrin. Expansive, accelerating themes give way to introspective moments, reflecting the many facets of life itself. 

Listen for the three duets, where the trumpet interacts intimately with a single orchestral instrument, returning to the piece’s personal origins. Notice how the orchestra takes on soloistic, bluesy roles, blurring the lines between jazz and classical. In the final movement, the return of the blues prayer theme culminates in a powerful climax, restating all six themes in a calm, introspective form before breaking into an exhilarating conclusion. 

I’m deeply grateful to Giveton Gelin for stepping in to perform alongside Ephraim, who will play at the beginning and end of the piece. A special thanks to Lynne Dobson and Greg Wooldridge for commissioning this work and making this performance possible. This work reflects a vision of our symphonic art that lets down walls, ushers in fresh new sounds, styles, rhythms, and perhaps most importantly, new faces into our concert halls.

Joseph & Elizabeth Kahn
Wordpros@mindspring.com
www.wordprosmusic.com