Since I started teaching trumpet and trombone a few years ago, both in my home studio and now in the schools, I’ve also taken the opportunity to compose some student works for the instrument. It was a great privilege for me this year that Trinity College London chose three of my solos to include in their new brass syllabus for 2019-2022, as well as including my Ezekiel's Rag in their new Trumpet Exam Book for Grade 5.
And, I'm now pleased to announce that my Minuet and Variations for Trumpet and Piano has been included in ABRSM's new brass syllabus for 2023. You can find it in Grade 5, List A. And, as with all my trumpet and trombone compositions, you can order your copies through Forton Music.
The BIG BAD WOLF duet series offers teachers and students the opportunity to play together. The accompanying backing tracks fill out the ensemble in a motivating, enjoyable way, whilst teaching students the discipline of rhythmic and harmonic structure.
Book 1 Beginner
2. On Our Way
3. Choices
4. Lazy Straw
8. Who Are You?
9. A New Friend
10. I'll Huff
11. Two Gone
12. Let Me Take You to the Fair
15. Swing It!
Book 2 of the BIG BAD WOLF Duets series picks up where Book 1 left off, featuring 12 new trumpet duets. The pop, jazzy backing tracks are here once again, but I’ve also written piano accompaniments for this book in order to make live performance opportunities more appealing.
Book 2 Intermediate
Vol. 1 of BIG BAD WOLF is for the beginning trombone player, and although the level of difficulty increases from the beginning to the end of the book, the student parts still more or less follow the ABRSM and Trinity College guidelines for Grades 1 & 2.
Optional backing tracks are available for downloading using a code provided at purchase, or printed in the book.
A Little Jazz Suite
Takin’ It In My Stride : The trumpet part is pure Louis Armstrong, with the trumpet often interrupting the conversation with the piano.
Zac’s Blue Morning : Sweet, slow, mournful and blue.
Ezekiel’s Rag : A stride composition that I wrote for my dog Zeke who howls along with my trumpet playing.
Intermediate
Another Little Jazz Suite
One For Herbie : Inspired by the great trumpeter Herb Alpert and his ability to make his horn sound like a human voice.
Waltz For Zac : A gentle waltz with a plaintive melody.
Lost Time Is Not Found Again : This style of this piece is more fusion than traditional jazz with a little progressive rock thrown in for good measure.
Intermediate
Scent of Lavender
A trumpet solo that peaceful and serene, supported by the steady piano accompaniment. Very much in the New Age vein.
Intermediate
A suite for trumpet and piano in 3/4 time, recommended for the intermediate player.
Minuet and Variations for Trumpet and Piano
Sarabande
August Serenade
Intermediate
Three jazz inflected pop pieces for beginning to intermediate players.
Rockin’ Downtown This piece harks back to early jazz rock.
The Real And Only Blues Sweet and mournful, with a gentle swing.
Cart Full Of Monkeys This is whimsical pop.
Beginner -Intermediate
On the Coney Island Boardwalk is a collection of 5 jazz inflected duets for the intermediate trumpeter, with piano accompaniments.
1. On the Coney Island Boardwalk
2. My Girl
3. This Cat Bugs Me
4. Grapplin’ with the Apple
5. Take it to the Shed
Intermediate
Rondo Giocoso began life as a whimsical piano solo, composed with television theme music in mind. After a while, I started wondering how it might work as a trumpet solo, as its Russian-sounding melody (Prokofiev springs to mind!) lends itself well to the instrument. With some judicious pruning and a flourish here and there, I finished it off and wrote a piano accompaniment for it.
It is technically demanding and not for the faint of heart, but above all it’s meant to be fun, and I hope you enjoy playing it.
Advanced