Fanfare for Woodwinds

Description

Fanfare for Woodwinds is a bold and rhythmically driven work that reimagines the traditional fanfare through an unconventional lens. Rather than relying on predictable meters and bright major harmonies, the piece unfolds in a series of irregular and shifting time signatures, creating a sense of forward momentum that is both unsettled and energetic.

Set in the Phrygian mode, the harmonic language lends the work a distinctive and slightly austere color. The characteristic half-step above the tonic shapes the melodic material, giving the fanfare an edge of tension and urgency that contrasts with its celebratory title. This modal foundation allows familiar fanfare gestures—strong attacks, layered entrances, and resonant sonorities—to take on a more mysterious and modern character.

Scored for woodwind choir, the work highlights the agility and contrast of the family, passing rhythmic motives between voices and building dense, vibrant textures from concise musical cells. Fanfare for Woodwinds ultimately stands as a declaration of energy and individuality, challenging both performers and listeners to experience the fanfare not as a ceremonial statement, but as a driving, exploratory burst of sound.