Road Home

Instrumentation:

• 2 flutes (fl. 2 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 Bb clarinets, bass clarinet saxophones: soprano, alto, tenor, baritone (1 each)
• 1 flugelhorn, 2 Bb trumpets, 2 french horns, 2 trombones, bass trombone, euphonium, tuba piano, timpani, double bass
• percussion (3 players): instruments in brackets [ ] to be potentially shared amongst players
• perc 1: [glockenspiel], crotales (bowed), marimba, triangle, temple blocks, hi-hat,
• [snare drum], [2 woodblocks (high/low)], xylophone, [suspended cymbal], chimes
• perc. 2: [suspended cymbal], claves, [2 woodblocks (high/low)], triangle, [glockenspiel]
• perc. 3: tam-tam, sand-blocks (small), tambourine, [suspended cymbal], [snare drum], slap-sticks, triangle, bass drum, wood block

Chris Gekker is widely known in the trumpet world for his warm sound and fluid dexterity. His recordings have been circulated amongst friends and colleagues as examples of the highest quality, showcasing standard and new repertoire written for the instrument. My goal in composing this piece was merely to put him on display doing what he does best. No fireworks, no pyro-techniques, just Chris being Chris.

Road Home might be imagined as someone both longing and happy to be heading toward home, or arriving home, after quite some time away. At times mysterious, and other times jubilant and joyful, there is always a sense of going somewhere with anticipation.

I am delighted that forces were joined by ITG, John Irish, and the Band of the West for me to compose this piece for Chris, who I have long admired, and for Major David Alpar, to conduct. David is a long-time friend of mine from high-school days. We have collaborated on several occasions, so, in a sense, writing for him is also like going back home.

Jim Stephenson