Zenith Sonata was inspired by my time at the International Trombone Festival in 2022 and 2023. Hearing so many insanely talented trombone players in such a short time had ideas begging to be written down as soon as I got home. The first movement, Interplay, shows a dialogue between the two trombones, as well as between the trombones and the piano. After they have thrown ideas back and forth, they begin to come together to state their first unison theme of the piece. The second movement, Connie's Song, is dedicated to my dear friend Connie Smith, who sadly passed away in the summer of 2023. They were a bright soul who put so much love into the world, I could merely attempt to capture their essence in this movement. The third movement, Jam, is a virtuosic and angular barn-burner that pushes the performers to their limit, thus earning the title of Zenith Sonata.
Zenith Sonata was inspired by my time at the International Trombone Festival in 2022 and 2023. Hearing so many insanely talented trombone players in such a short time had ideas begging to be written down as soon as I got home. The first movement, Interplay, shows a dialogue between the two trombones, as well as between the trombones and the piano. After they have thrown ideas back and forth, they begin to come together to state their first unison theme of the piece. The second movement, Connie's Song, is dedicated to my dear friend Connie Smith, who sadly passed away in the summer of 2023. They were a bright soul who put so much love into the world, I could merely attempt to capture their essence in this movement. The third movement, Jam, is a virtuosic and angular barn-burner that pushes the performers to their limit, thus earning the title of Zenith Sonata.