A French Quarter Feast

Instrumentation

2 flutes
2 oboes
2 clarinets
2 bassoons

4 horns in F
3 trumpets in C
2 trombones
bass trombone
tuba

string bass
drum set

timpani
percussion

strings

solo trumpet

Duration

9 minutes

Composed

2013

Program Notes

Throughout its history the vibrant French Quarter of New Orleans has been the center of many important cultural trends. Perhaps most notable are its food and its music. This composition is a journey that combines those spicy flavors and sounds into a fun feature for trumpet and orchestra.

A good Creole or Cajun meal is a cornucopia of flavors. The tastes are strong and satisfaction is high. It starts slowly and builds to several gastronomic climaxes, before winding down slowly over strongly brewed chicory coffee and those powdered sugar covered delicacies.

Listen as the trumpet soloist plays through the menu: Filé Gumbo, Crawfish Étouffée, Red Beans and Rice, Shrimp Jambalaya and Beignets. The music dances and leaps with the spirit of Vieux Carré, a bit of Mardi Gras and a lot of the blues. And from start to finish the flavors and melodies intermingle in a delectable feast.

This composition is also available in a version for solo trumpet and concert band with optional strings. Contact us for details.