Against All Odds, for brass ensemble
Instrumentation: brass ensemble (3 trumpets, 4 horns, 2 trombones, bass trombone, euphonium, tuba)
Year Composed: 2021
Duration: 2’45”
Premiered April 2021 (virtual) by the Chromatic Brass Collective. Premiered May 2022 (live) by the Chromatic Brass Collective
Program Notes:
Against All Odds is a brass ensemble work, originally written for the Chromatic Brass Collective (a group I co-founded for womxn of color brass players). The long story short of the title is that I was told by a professor that this was “not a fanfare” because it doesn’t utilize traditional fanfare elements all around. I continued to write it and present it as a fanfare regardless. This experience seemed an example of being undermined by the systems stacked against those with marginalized identities. Despite being met with disapproval, I continued and succeeded in writing this piece. Against all odds, we are here. This work was premiered in CBC’s inaugural live performance at the 2022 International Women’s Brass Conference.