For my seminar project in college, I wrote a six-movement work for trombone choir (six parts). It was debuted by the Stingers trombone ensemble, which I’d taken a leadership role with, creating many arrangements and original compositions, as well as conducting them.
The following is the first movement, one of the more interesting ones, which I couldn’t put into Finale. The score was handwritten as it includes experimental notation.
The piece was intended to be performed in Wilson Commons, the student union at the University of Rochester’s River Campus. It’s a large space designed by I.M. Pei. Even six trombones can’t overwhelm the space. While the II-VI movements are intended to be performed with the ensemble together, the first movement, Burning of the Itz, was intended (and performed) with the musicians positioned in different parts of the space.
Burning of the Itz represents the Mayan custom of burning soaked reeds as a religious practice. Part of my study in college was a couple classes focused on Mesoamerican archaeology and religion, inspired by a 5th grade trip to Chichén-Itzá. Itz is a type of sacred sap, which could be blood or other bodily fluids, like semen.
Kudos to Orlando Quiroz, bass trombone, for making the recording.