The Last Trumpet
Consortium Commission for Solo Trumpet and Interactive Electronics
Between 2013 and 2018, several witnesses around the world reported hearing the sound of discordant “trumpets” blaring in the sky. There are video recordings of this from rural villages in Europe to major cities in North America. As of this date, there is no widely accepted explanation for the phenomenon.
Many were quick to draw the obvious connection to Christian apocalyptic writings. Several instances of the end of the world heralded by the sound of the trumpet are found in the Bible and religious text and music. Most notably in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
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This text itself is found in a number of musical works, including Handel’s Messiah and Brahms’ German Requiem.
The Last Trumpet for solo trumpet and interactive electronics will be a 6-8 minute work inspired by this phenomenon and musical references to apocalyptic trumpet calls from the aforementioned works, along with Verdi’s Requiem and Britten’s War Requiem.
I’m proud to announce that this consortium will be headed up by accomplished trumpeters Adam Gaines, Isaac Mayhew, and Sam Wells.
Click on an image to read more about our consortium leaders.
The Last Trumpet for solo trumpet and interactive electronics will be a 6-8 minute work inspired by this phenomenon and musical references to apocalyptic trumpet calls from the aforementioned works, along with Verdi’s Requiem and Britten’s War Requiem.
I’m proud to announce that this consortium will be headed up by accomplished trumpeters Adam Gaines, Isaac Mayhew, and Sam Wells.
Click on an image to read more about our consortium leaders.
We are seeking interested trumpet players to join our consortium and reach a minimum goal of $4,000 to make this piece a reality. We welcome trumpeters at two buy-in levels:
Professional: $250
Student*: $150
*Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or artist diploma program.
Our timetable for this project is as follows:
April 3 to June 4: Recruitment period
June 26: Consortium payment and agreement due
September 1: Delivery of PDF score and electronic materials
September 1 to January 1, 2024: Gaines, Mayhew, and Wells exclusivity
January 1, 2024 to September 1, 2024: Full consortium exclusivity
September 1, 2024: Piece available to purchase and perform by general public
January 1, 2024 to January 1 2025: Exclusive recording and commercial release rights for all consortium members
Interested in joining this consortium? Please fill out the information form here.
To read more about me and my music click here, and listen to two samples of my work below:
Professional: $250
Student*: $150
*Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or artist diploma program.
Our timetable for this project is as follows:
April 3 to June 4: Recruitment period
June 26: Consortium payment and agreement due
September 1: Delivery of PDF score and electronic materials
September 1 to January 1, 2024: Gaines, Mayhew, and Wells exclusivity
January 1, 2024 to September 1, 2024: Full consortium exclusivity
September 1, 2024: Piece available to purchase and perform by general public
January 1, 2024 to January 1 2025: Exclusive recording and commercial release rights for all consortium members
Interested in joining this consortium? Please fill out the information form here.
To read more about me and my music click here, and listen to two samples of my work below:
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Here are some frequently asked questions about electronics and consortiums:
What are interactive electronics?
What will I need for the electronic set-up for this piece?
Why not used fixed electronics, aren’t they easier?
Will a fixed version of the electronics be made available?
What will happen if you don’t reach your $4,000 goal?
What will happen if you exceed your $4,000 goal?
What are interactive electronics?
Interactive electronics include a variety of things, but most often, it refers to live processing of an acoustic sound through a computer program. Interactive electronics allow the user to create sounds not possible to achieve through acoustic forces alone.
What will I need for the electronic set-up for this piece?
This piece will require the performer to have a laptop and foot pedal on stage with them.* The laptop must have Max 8 or later installed on it. While Max is a paid program, it can be downloaded and ran for free, without the access to edit the electronic patch. Performers will also need a microphone and audio interface**, and access to stereo speaker output.
*Performers may choose to have a separate person run the electronics from off-stage
** A high-quality USB mic plugged directly into the computer will not require a separate audio interface, however a high quality condenser microphone is highly recommended.
Why not used fixed electronics, aren’t they easier?
Many great works for instrument and electronics are for “fixed media,” “fixed electronics,” “audio playback,” or “tape.” These include incredible works by Steve Reich, Mario Davidovsky, Jacob ter Veldhuis, and many others.
Fixed electronics do not require any live interaction from the player, often being played through an audio file or CD. However, this ease in initial set-up often leads to highly difficult pieces to perform. They often require exact timing and coordination to the fixed playback. There is also often a divorce between the performer’s sound and the recorded audio.
While interactive electronics require a bit more effort to set-up and run, the possibilities are limitless. Interactive music is dependent on the input the player gives it. If a performer wishes to use vibrato, the electronics respond in real-time to whatever tempo, pitch, and volume, the performer gives it. More than this, the sound world created through the electronics of this work will be incredible interesting and powerful. It will put the audience inside this mysterious phenomenon and be an experience they won’t soon forget.
Will a fixed version of the electronics be made available?
While some of my works are available in interactive and fixed formats, this work will only be for interactive electronics. The sound worlds that I wish to create in this work are only possible through live processing of the trumpet sounds. The work will also incorporate a considerable amount of aleatory and rubato, this would be very arduous to achieve with a fixed track.
What will happen if you don’t reach your $4,000 goal?
The time and effort it takes to create a work like this is considerable, and I am unable to undertake it without compensation. If we are well short of our goal, we will need to delay the project until enough members join the consortium. No money will be collected until enough members have committed to joining the project.
What will happen if you exceed your $4,000 goal?
It is possible that enthusiasm for this work exceeds our expectations. If we exceed our goal extra funds will allow me to travel to attend as many performances as possible.
If we exceed the goal by $500 or more, I will create a version of this piece for 4.1 surround audio in addition to the stereo set-up, which will immerse the audience in the sound world of the piece.
If we exceed the goal by $1,000 or more, I will create an optional interactive video to accompany the work, which will further immerse the audience in the experience.
What are interactive electronics?
What will I need for the electronic set-up for this piece?
Why not used fixed electronics, aren’t they easier?
Will a fixed version of the electronics be made available?
What will happen if you don’t reach your $4,000 goal?
What will happen if you exceed your $4,000 goal?
What are interactive electronics?
Interactive electronics include a variety of things, but most often, it refers to live processing of an acoustic sound through a computer program. Interactive electronics allow the user to create sounds not possible to achieve through acoustic forces alone.
What will I need for the electronic set-up for this piece?
This piece will require the performer to have a laptop and foot pedal on stage with them.* The laptop must have Max 8 or later installed on it. While Max is a paid program, it can be downloaded and ran for free, without the access to edit the electronic patch. Performers will also need a microphone and audio interface**, and access to stereo speaker output.
*Performers may choose to have a separate person run the electronics from off-stage
** A high-quality USB mic plugged directly into the computer will not require a separate audio interface, however a high quality condenser microphone is highly recommended.
Why not used fixed electronics, aren’t they easier?
Many great works for instrument and electronics are for “fixed media,” “fixed electronics,” “audio playback,” or “tape.” These include incredible works by Steve Reich, Mario Davidovsky, Jacob ter Veldhuis, and many others.
Fixed electronics do not require any live interaction from the player, often being played through an audio file or CD. However, this ease in initial set-up often leads to highly difficult pieces to perform. They often require exact timing and coordination to the fixed playback. There is also often a divorce between the performer’s sound and the recorded audio.
While interactive electronics require a bit more effort to set-up and run, the possibilities are limitless. Interactive music is dependent on the input the player gives it. If a performer wishes to use vibrato, the electronics respond in real-time to whatever tempo, pitch, and volume, the performer gives it. More than this, the sound world created through the electronics of this work will be incredible interesting and powerful. It will put the audience inside this mysterious phenomenon and be an experience they won’t soon forget.
Will a fixed version of the electronics be made available?
While some of my works are available in interactive and fixed formats, this work will only be for interactive electronics. The sound worlds that I wish to create in this work are only possible through live processing of the trumpet sounds. The work will also incorporate a considerable amount of aleatory and rubato, this would be very arduous to achieve with a fixed track.
What will happen if you don’t reach your $4,000 goal?
The time and effort it takes to create a work like this is considerable, and I am unable to undertake it without compensation. If we are well short of our goal, we will need to delay the project until enough members join the consortium. No money will be collected until enough members have committed to joining the project.
What will happen if you exceed your $4,000 goal?
It is possible that enthusiasm for this work exceeds our expectations. If we exceed our goal extra funds will allow me to travel to attend as many performances as possible.
If we exceed the goal by $500 or more, I will create a version of this piece for 4.1 surround audio in addition to the stereo set-up, which will immerse the audience in the sound world of the piece.
If we exceed the goal by $1,000 or more, I will create an optional interactive video to accompany the work, which will further immerse the audience in the experience.