A 45-minute educational
experience for children
For more information, contact the composer.
Hot Clips
Watch Gustavo Dudamel, the newly appointed Music Director Designate of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conduct Stephenson's "Fanfare and March." The performance took place in Venezuela in 2004.
Watch a 2007 performance of "Concerto for Cell Phone" on YouTube.
"American Fanfare"
Popular patriotic piece
Available for both orchestra and concert band
"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"
A setting of Washington Irving's famous tale. For narrator and orchestra. Duration: 20 minutes.
Listen to the themes of Sleepy Hollow:
- A poor wandering stranger
- Ichabod Crane
- Katrina van Tassel
- Brom Bones
- Ichabod riding Gunpowder
- Country fiddle and ballroom dance
- Chase scene
- Epilogue
Listen to
For Christmas
Stephenson's arrangements of Christmas songs for orchestra
"Rather than a showpiece-and-that's-all, Stephenson has given us a pair
of big, skillfully composed movements that cover a wide stylistic and
emotional range; . . . The pastoral, the evocations of big-city bustle, a majestic
full-orchestra climax (trumpet-led, of course) -- they were all here,
seamlessly arranged and with nary a cliche in sight."
Richard Buell, Boston Globe
". . . He writes in an immediate and accessible style coupled
with tremendous skill and sensitive ideas. It's music that not
only touches the heart, but enriches the spirit as well."
Jung-Ho Pak, Music Director, New Haven
Symphony Orchestra Music Director, World Youth Symphony Orchestra,
Interlochen Center for the Arts
"I just finished listening to your CD .. . The compositions sound great.
The trumpet sonata sounds fantastic."
Rolf Smedvig, Trumpeter with Empire Brass
". . . The best pieces are Joseph Turrin's spiky "Intrada" and James Stephenson's
Trumpet Sonata (2001). The latter, composed for trumpeter Stoelzel, is a full-blown
16-minute work that should become a recital standard."
Kilpatrick,
American Record Guide, March/April 2005
". . . Next follows Sonata for Trumpet by James Stephenson, III, which is a tour de force
for both instruments. Whimsical motives are performed and followed by energized technical
passages that Stoelzel performs with a bel canto style that gave this reviewer chills."
Reviewer, Albany Records
". . . Speaking as a pianist, I have to comment that for a trumpeter, Stephenson writes
pretty darned idiomatically for the piano accompanist as well."
Scott Morrison, Review at amazon.com
". . . We have fallen in love with the piece [Mountain Laurel Suite]."
Julie Shaffer, Pianist with Mountain Laurel Trio
"That was followed by another crowd-pleaser. Jim Stephenson is assistant principal trumpet
with the Philharmonc and is an exciting young composer. Thursday night, we heard his 'American
Fanfare,' a four-star addition to the genre of patriotic songs."
Peg Goldberg Longstreth, Naples Daily News
". . . Legend of Sleepy Hollow deserves as hallowed a place in the orchestral
repertoire as Peter and the Wolf."
Edward Benyas, Artistic Director, Southern Illinois Music Festival
Upcoming Premieres
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August, 2008 · "Solo for trumpet and concert
band""Solo for trumpet and concert band" was commissioned by the Fischer/Long family. The premiere will be with the Spring Garden Concert Band in August, 2008 with Chuck Long, trumpet soloist.
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October, 2008 · "Symphony No. 1 for wind ensemble"
"Symphony No. 1 for Wind Ensemble" was commissioned by the USAF Band of Liberty, First Lieutenant David A. Alpar, commander. The premiere is planned for October, 2008.
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November, 2008 · "Trio for trombone, piano and percussion"
"Trio for trombone, piano and percussion" was commissioned by David Begnoche. The premiere is planned for November, 2008.
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January, 2009 · "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra"
"Concerto for Chamber Orchestra" will be premiered in January, 2009, at the Music Festival on the island of St. Barthelemy, which is in the French West Indies, Caribbean.
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Spring, 2009 · "Flute concerto"
"Flute concerto" will be premiered with Bill Larsen, flute, and the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, Michael Hall, Music Director in spring, 2009.
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2009 · Violin concerto to be premiered by Jennifer Frautschi. Click here---after PAUSING the background-music clips---to view Frautschi's recent performance of Stephenson's "Violin Fantasie."
This major work was commissioned by the Minnesota Commissioning Club.
Past recipients have been such notables as Stephen Paulus, Sven-David Sandstrom, Steven Heitzeg, Jennifer Higdon and Libby Larsen. The premiere is to take place sometime after the beginning of the 2008-09 season.
Recent Premieres
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July 4, 2008 · "Sextet" for trumpet, clarinet, bassoon, violin, cello and piano
"Sextet" was commissioned by the Salmagundi Ensemble (Laura Garwin, trumpet) as lead commissioning source with a gift from the Charles Schlueter foundation. The premiere occured at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London on July 4, 2008.
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June 3, 2008 · "NEXT-Calibur" for trumpet trio, strings and percussion
"NEXT-Calibur" was premiered at the International Trumpet Guild gathering in Banff on June 3, 2008. The performance, conducted by Stephenson, featured Nathaniel Mayfield, Paul Merkelo and Rex Richardson on baroque, classical and jazz trumpets, respectively. Click here to read Neville Young's review of the premiere.
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May 2-4, 2008 · "Movie Themes of the 70s" and an "Elton John Medley" for Jack Everly's "70s Show" premiere
Stephenson was engaged to work on the "70s show" May 2-4 premiere. The show is sponsored by the Indianapolis Symphonic Pops Consortium (SPC) along with conductor/arranger Jack Everly.
Click here to link to the SPC site which contains a clip of "Liberace Plays Chopsticks" that Stephenson arranged for Everly's recent "Pops Goes Vegas" show.
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Palm Sunday, 2008 · SATB setting of "In the
Garden" with solo soprano, piano and organ"In the Garden" was commissioned by St. Dunstan Episcopal Church in Atlanta, GA. Stephen L. Furches is organist and choirmaster, and the premiere is in memory of Charles R. "Charlie" Yates.
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September 29, 2007 · "Concertino and Fanfare for Orchestra." Click here to listen to a clip.
Stephenson was commissioned to write a celebratory new work to open the Bozeman Symphony's 40th season on September 29, 2007. Bozeman's music director and conductor is Matthew Savery.
While in Bozeman for the premiere event, Stephenson visited several schools to introduce students to the craft of composing. Stephenson was rewarded with a front-page picture in the Bozeman Daily Chronicle (Sept. 27, 2007).
The caption reads as follows:
"Calling the Tune. Alicia Kreyser tries to get a glimpse of the musical score held by composer James Stephenson who visited Irving School's third-grade music classes Wednesday to introduce them to the music he wrote to accompany a new edition of the book 'Sleepy Hollow.' Stephenson also composed 'Concertino and Fanfare for Orchestra' which will premiere at the Bozeman Symphony on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2:30 p.m. to kick off the symphony's 40th anniversary season."
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July 15, 2007 · "Cousins" for trumpet, saxophone and orchestra
Branford Marsalis (saxophone) and Rodney Mack (trumpet) engaged Stephenson to compose a new work for saxophone, trumpet and orchestra. The premiere of "Cousins" on July 15, 2007, was with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) at the Interlochen Arts Camp, Jung Ho Pak conducting.
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July 4, 2007 · "Stars and Stripes Fanfare" for symphony
Stephenson was commissioned to write a spirited fanfare for the Houston Symphony to open the 4th of July program. Michael Krajewski conducted.
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June 10 & 11, 2007 · "Sonata for Euphonium and Piano"
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May 29, 2007 · "Duo Fantastique" for two solo trumpets and concert band
The Coast Guard Band with trumpeters Charles Schlueter and Eric Berlin premiered Stephenson's "Duo Fantastique" at the ITG National Conference in Amherst, MA, on May 29th, 2007.
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February 3 & 4, 2007 · "Concerto for Trumpet, Piano and String Orchestra"
Lisa Leonard, piano, and Marc Reese, trumpet, along with the Lynn University orchestra conducted by George Shram, premiered Stephenson's "Concerto for Piano, Trumpet and String Orchestra" at Boca Raton, FL, on February 3rd and 4th, 2007. -
January 31, 2007 · "Concerto "Braziliano" for Trombone". Click here to listen to the performance.
Alex Klein (center) conducted the festival orchestra in the premiere of Stephenson's "Concerto "Braziliano" for Trombone" at the St. Barts Music Festival on January 31st. Nitzan Haroz (left), principal trombone of the Philadelphia Orchestra, was the soloist.
News and events
News and events
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May 27, 2008 · Word has been received of a Russian performance occuring on July 5th of 'American Fanfare.' Guest conductor Justin Bischof conducts the State Philharmonic in Kavkazskiye (oldest orchestra in Russia) in a Summer Festival Concert featuring works by Barber, Copland, Gershwin and Tchaikovsky. This concert marks the European Premiere of Stephenson's American Fanfare.
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May 21, 2008 – Stephenson announced that he is working on a “unique project:” a collaboration with a Utah trumpet teacher and his students to write a mid to high-school level trumpet/piano piece that uses a variety of common and not-so-common mutes. The teacher, Tyler Knowlton, graduated from the University of Utah and plays trumpet in the Salt Lake Symphony and in the Salt Lake area. His students are Liz, Carolyn, Collin, Ryan, Troy, Brett, Isaac, Kase, James, Brandon, Kevin, Spencer, Riley, Hyrum, Kyle and Nick. Stephenson plans to complete the project this summer and the piece will be available on this website.
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May 15, 2008 · The Birdville High School Symphonic Band of N. Richland Hills, TX, conducted by Paul Heuer, performed Stephenson's "American Fanfare" at its spring concert. The concert band version of "American Fanfare" was commissioned by the USAF Band of Liberty. Listen to the impressive performance by the Birdville HS band.
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May 13, 2008 · Stephenson's "Sonata for Euphonium and Piano" has been chosen as one of three finalists for the 2008 Harvey G. Phillips Award for Excellence in Composition in the Solo Euphonium category. Awards will be presented at the International Tuba-Euphonium Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio on June 28, 2008.
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April 2, 2008 · The Burning River Brass recorded their newest CD which includes Stephenson's arrangement of "The Chocolate Dance" from"The Nutcracker."
See where Stephenson's
music is being performed.
music of
James Stephenson
1. Red
2. Blue
3. Green
4. White
Sonata for Trumpet and Piano
5. Maestoso - March
6. Lento - Waltz
7. Vivo
8. Strumba
Three Vocal Songs
9. A Wanderer's Song
10. Walk Slowly
11. Tune for an Ill-tempered Clavichord
12. Etude Caprice
String Quartet
13. Oregon
14. Back Roads of Missouri
15. Headin' Home (South Carolina)
16. Celebration Overture