New Trombone Concertino – Premiere May 24, 2025
This week, I had the chance to listen to the recording of the first rehearsal of my brand-new Concertino for Trombone and Fanfare Orchestra, written for the Fanfare Orchestra of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee and their brilliant principal trombonist, Paul Langerman.
Although I couldn’t be there in person, listening to the recording of the first rehearsal was still a truly special experience. It’s a challenging piece, but the dedication, focus, and musicianship of the orchestra under conductor Ido Gerard Kempenaar, combined with Paul’s powerful and expressive playing, truly moved me. They are working with great intensity and passion to prepare the piece for its premiere, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
The idea for this work began at the end of 2024, when Peter Kleine Schaars (their former conductor) asked me to write a solo piece for trombone. After composing my Concerto for Trumpet in 2022, I had been hoping for the opportunity to spotlight the trombone. The timeframe was tight, but in just six weeks, I managed to complete this concertino — my very first for trombone.
The result is a 11–12 minute work, structured in four seamlessly connected sections. It opens with a bold introduction that gives the soloist the space to explore and shine, ending in a short cadenza. What follows are three contrasting parts played attacca. The piece doesn’t tell a specific story — instead, I focused on writing something playful and technically demanding for both the soloist and the ensemble. And in doing so, something unexpected happened: without trying to, my own voice, emotions, and musical identity found their way into the score. It’s a piece that feels deeply personal. Paul described the piece as “an amazing composition — a hell of a job, but every bit of effort worthwhile.”
The official premiere will take place on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at 20:00 in the Brikke Oave Cultural Centre & Grand Café, Lindeplein 7, Brunssum.
For all trombone players and fans: the piece will be published in January 2027, both in its full version with fanfare orchestra and an edition with piano reduction, making it accessible for solo performance without ensemble. Until then, I hope you’ll enjoy the upcoming performance by Paul Langerman with the Fanfare Orchestra of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee as much as I enjoyed writing this piece for them.