Play.

Play. for piccolo trumpet in a and piano was written for my lovely colleague and friend Hannah Markun. We met at Brass Institutes of America in 2023, where we were placed in an all-women brass quintet together, which was more impactful than any of us could describe. She asked if she could commission me for a piece to be premiered at her masters recital, containing only works by living women composers. For so long women were discouraged, to put it nicely, to play wind instruments as they did not look acceptably attractive on stage. This piece is a celebration of all of the strong and talented musical pioneers from minority groups whose boundary pushing inspired change.

There are not many modern works out there for piccolo trumpet, as most of the repertoire is from the Baroque era. This piece was written with the purpose of adding a more modern work to the solo piccolo trumpet repertoire. The open harmony and syncopated rhythm is meant to invoke a feeling of playfulness for the listener, and the performer. Alongside the virtuosic lines, the performer is encouraged to experiment by adding ornamentation where they feel it is warranted.