Sonata No. 1 for Trumpet and Piano - nicknamed Sonata for Heroes - is a three-movement trumpet sonata designed to set the stage for your very own hero arc. Featuring the crisp and sprightly sounds of the C Trumpet and the soft and contemplative colors of the Flugelhorn, "Sonata for Heroes" sets the stage for a world that awaits its modern-day hero's triumphant appearance. The only element missing in this story is you - the hero. Are you ready to show the world what you're made of?

reFRAME is an exploration of finding one's identity, inviting you to join me on a transformative journey through three distinct movements. Through musical textures, melodies, and rhythms, reFRAME delves into the depths of self-discovery and personal growth.

In the opening movement, reFRACTED, the music is frantic and filled with intense moments, reflecting the swirling emotions and urgency that come with the search for identity and trying to express yourself in places that won’t allow you to. The fragmented phrases and intricate rhythms symbolize the complexity of this search, immersing you in the captivating atmosphere from the very beginning.

The second movement, reFLECTIONS, a more contemplative and thoughtful atmosphere emerges. Here, I invite you to join me in delving deep into introspection and self-reflection. I wanted to sonically create this feeling: through moments of tranquility and tension, you will experience the internal struggles and breakthroughs that shape the journey of finding one's identity. The movement ends with the introduction of another motif that is fully realized in the third movement.

ReAFFIRMED is a merging of the rhythmic energy of the first movement and the harmonic motifs of the second. This movement symbolizes the harmonious integration of different experiences and emotions, creating a renewed sense of self. The reprise of the piece concludes in a thoughtful and gentle manner, emphasizing the affirmation of one’s identity and the profound contentment that accompanies self-discovery.

​Between 2013 and 2018, several witnesses around the world reported hearing the sound of discordant “trumpets” blaring in the sky. There are video recordings of this from rural villages in Europe to major cities in North America. As of this date, there is no widely accepted explanation for the phenomenon.

Many were quick to draw the obvious connection to Christian apocalyptic writings. Several instances of the end of the world heralded by the sound of the trumpet are found in the Bible and religious text and music. Most notably in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians:

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

​This text itself is found in a number of musical works, including Handel’s Messiah and Brahms’ German Requiem.

The Last Trumpet for solo trumpet and interactive electronics will be a 6-8 minute work inspired by this phenomenon and musical references to apocalyptic trumpet calls from the aforementioned works, along with Verdi’s Requiem and Britten’s War Requiem.

I’m proud to announce that this consortium will be headed up by accomplished trumpeters Adam Gaines, Isaac Mayhew, and Sam Wells.

Red Tails of Blue Skies is a programmatic work for trumpet ensemble inspired by red-tailed hawks. The composer began noticing these birds near her home in northern Virginia and became captivated with their flight and movement. Red-tailed hawks have a wide territory, spanning North and Central America. They can be found in virtually every biome, from sandy deserts to urban centers. While such a common bird may not seem spectacular, it is precisely their ubiquity that made the composer decide to use them as the inspiration for this work. While the individuals that came together to commission this work live in very different places across the United States, red-tailed hawks can be found in each location. Any performer practicing this work could take a short journey and likely easily find the very creatures that inspired it. Red-tailed hawks may be common birds, but there is a connecting thread within that commonality. The work celebrates the nobility Halco-Haack perceives in the birds, the excitement and intensity of watching them dive to hunt, and the grace with which they soar.

MJ Halco-Haack is a composer from Chicago, Illinois. Halco-Haack composes for chamber ensemble, concert band, and film, and enjoys exploring new genres and instrumentations. Her work has been performed and premiered around the United States as well as internationally. Most recently, Halco-Haack enjoyed the world premiere of her piece Iowan Vignette in Belgrade, Serbia in 2023, and the U.S. premiere in Arkansas in 2024. In 2022, her collaborative work Together, Triumphant was performed in Rochester, MI, in partnership with the initiative And We Were Heard. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Music Composition from Northern Illinois University in 2015, and a Master's in Music Composition from George Mason University 2018. She studied composition with Dr. Ted Hatmaker, Professor Mark Camphouse, and Dr. Jesse Guessford, and studied euphonium with Charlie Schuchat and Dr. Mark Jenkins.

unfurling was written to explore the push and pull of ambience and the elasticity of time. It is a work that can be played in an infinite number of ways depending on the personal preference of the performer. It is intended to be a piece that can both be played through from start to finish and has space for optional improvisation. It is intended to be free, meditative, flowing, and resonant.

The piece is presented as one score with two optional fixed durations: the first version of the score times to about 5’30” and aligns directly with the score. The second version of the score times to about 8’30”. Both versions have a section for optional improvisation that is intended to fade in closer to the end of the piece. If the performer does not wish to improvise at all, the performer can let the fixed media track fade out without playing to complete the piece.

Along with the two fixed durations, the score also contains marked loop sections, indicated by thick bar lines and text locating each measure. Accompanying the score is a Max Patch created by Connor Johnson. This patch will contain these notated fixed media loop files to allow the performer to improvise over them as many or as little times as they would like.

These marked sections happen both within and outside of the written trumpet phrases. The performer can interpret and improvise over these loops however they would like: they can choose to either perform the phrases through the looped points as written, loop the fixed media and improvise with the sounds created, or create a combination of the two. The piece is very open ended and flexible for this purpose.

Green Sky was written for and commissioned by the Chromatic Brass Collective with additional support from the 2024 New Works Consortium. Green Sky combines the spirit of rhythmic drive and thematic moments that take on a life of their own highlighted by each player. The backing track accompaniment consists of drums and electric bass to accentuate elements of both a traditional groove and modern edge.