James Stephenson

James Stephenson

composer and arranger
847.830.5882

For parts rental please call 239 290-8911,
or send an email to the composer.

Rental prices are for 1 performance; contact the composer at composerjim@gmail.com
for prices for repeat performances.

Concert Pieces

  • Remembering Our Fathersfor orchestra, two sopranos & mzo sopr.

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  • Printempsfor string orchestra

    Information

    Printemps  [2004]

    String orchestra

    Duration: 5:32

    Instrumentation: strings

  • Concertino and Fanfarefor orchestra

    Information

    Concertino and Fanfare  [2007]

    Orchestra

    Duration: 9 min.

    Instrumentation: *3*3*3*3 - 4331 - t+4 - pf - str

  • Scherzo Frénètiquefor orchestra

    Information

    Scherzo Frénètique  [2005]

    Orchestra

    Duration: 2 min.

    Instrumentation: *3*3*3*3 - 4331 - hp - str [no t/perc]

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    Price: $100.00

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  • Naples By the Seafor chorus and orchestra

Concertos

  • Violin concerto - "Tributes"for violin and orchestra

    Download score PDF

    Click the button for a PDF-file download of the score for "Tributes violin concerto."

     Available after the Minnesota Orchestra premiere in
     April, 2012. (Contact composer for violin part.)

  • Concerto for Trumpetfor trumpet and chamber orchestra

    Information

    Concerto for Trumpet  [2003]

    Trumpet and chamber orchestra

    Duration: 21:30

    Instrumentation: 1222 - 2100 - t+0 - str - Solo Trumpet

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    Jeffrey Work, trpt
    w/ Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, Boston

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  • Rextreme: Concerto #2 for Trptfor trumpet and orchestra
  • Concerto - "The Russian"for trumpet, piano and string orchestra

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  • Concerto - "Pandora's Waltz"for flute and orchestra

    Download score PDF

    Click the button for a PDF-file download of the score for "Pandora's Waltz concerto."

       Premiere in April, 2012.
       (Contact composer for flute part.)

  • Cousinsfor trumpet, saxophone and orchestra
    Marsalis, Mack, Pak and Stephenson
    Marsalis, Mack, Pak and Stephenson

    Rodney Mack, Branford Marsalis, Pak and Stephenson
    at the July 15, 2007, premiere of 'Cousins'

    Pak conducts WYSO at the July 15, 2007 premiere
    Pak conducts WYSO at the July 15, 2007 premiere

    Jung-Ho Pak conducts Interlochen's World Youth Symphony
    at the July 15, 2007, premiere of 'Cousins'

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    Rodney Mack and Branford Marsalis with the Interlochen World Youth Symphony conducted by Jung Ho Pak

    Download score PDF

    Click the button for a PDF-file download of the score for "Cousins."

    Download PDF

    Click the button for a free PDF-file download of the trumpet part.

    Read a
    review

    World Youth Symphony, guests shine

    By JOE RICE

    Special to the Record-Eagle

    Sunday evening's World Youth Symphony Orchestra concert was a particularly rare one for performers and audience alike.

    Celebrated saxophonist Branford Marsalis was the featured soloist "" a first for him at Interlochen. Marsalis made his mark first as a cutting-edge jazz musician, but like his equally well-known brother Wynton, Branford plays music all across the spectrum.

    In this concert, he was featured soloist in music by classical composers Giacomo Puccini and Gustav Mahler. Then the focal point of the evening was a world premiere composition by Interlochen alumnus James Stephenson, "Concerto for Saxophone and Trumpet." This work also featured trumpeter Rodney Mack, who is a second cousin to Branford and one of Stephenson's best friends.

    Mack is a formidable virtuoso. He's studied with his cousin, soloed with the Boston Pops and a number of other orchestras around the world and is principal trumpet for the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia.

    One of the strengths of conductor Jung-Ho Pak is his more adventurous way of programming for the WYSO. The concert opened with Igor Stravinsky's "Greeting Prelude," an angular version of "Happy Birthday" to celebrate the 80th season of the Interlochen Arts Camp (originally called the National Music Camp). Then Marsalis was invited on stage to perform the two classical works Puccini's "Denaro! Nient'altro che denaro!" the lovely aria for mezzo soprano from the opera La Rondine, and Mahler's "Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" ("I was misplaced in the world"), the moving melody Mahler took from the five Ruckert lieder. Here, Marsalis played soprano saxophone with great subtlety and sensitivity. The Puccini work in treble meter was sweet and lyrical. His entrance in the Mahler came out of nowhere, blending into the softness of the strings so that his tone emerged out of the violin sound. His vibrato and the purity of his tone showed another side to this remarkable musician "" and in contrast to his hard-driving jazz style.

    Then, without further comment from the conductor, Marsalis and Mack entered the stage, each loaded with instruments "" Marsalis with alto and tenor saxes and Mack with a C trumpet, a B-flat cornet and a piccolo trumpet.

    Stephenson's composition is built in three sections, quick, slow and quick. In it, I heard rhythms and harmonies that echoed the music of Paul Creston and Frank Martin. Those were, I think, tips of the hat to composers worthy of acknowledgement, but the music in this piece stands on its own. While it may not be considered groundbreaking in form or style, it is quite original. Each section includes conversational moments between sax and trumpet and other moments of delicious solo work that required virtuosic technique from both soloists. The opening section dances along in jaunty fashion with soloists exchanging comments, then coming together in harmony. The middle section is quite lyrical, offering each one ample time for melodious expression. The third section is a lively dance, which calls for a high level of skill.

    The solo parts throughout the piece are well thought out, and offer both musical and technical challenges to each. And the orchestra accompaniment provides a subtle but solid backdrop for the solos, but also has its moments in the sun. The work is very listenable, and as these two soloists continue their collaborations, this concerto will be a favorite. There is a very short list of good double concerto works for trumpet and saxophone. Branford and Mack complement each other musically, and I'm certain that when they collaborate again, it will include this work.

    It was annoying and disappointing that no mention of the composer's background, his connection to the soloists or his importance to Interlochen was made in the printed program and, at the end of the performance, he was not brought up on the stage to share in the well-deserved standing ovation. Stephenson is one of many alums of the Interlochen Arts Camp and graduates of the Interlochen Arts Academy who have distinguished themselves as world-class artists. He has established himself as an arranger, composer and professional trumpet player, and this world premiere performance certainly deserved recognition for him every bit as much as the two soloists, conductor and orchestra. All he got was a handshake at the foot of the stage, so only a few people in the audience even saw who he was.

    The WYSO closed the concert with Leonard Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from "West Side Story." To say the least, it was electric and thrilling. Maestro Pak is an energetic conductor, and the orchestra responds with equal amounts of energy. The alternating moments of quiet intensity and passion and the fiery, sometimes vicious times where the Sharks and Jets are in conflict, were powerful.

    The soloists in the orchestra were worth noting. Xylophone, timpani, drumset, the principal strings (violins, viola and cello), each member of the brass and the principal woodwinds all stood out. Bernstein's music is always a handful, especially if you're a high school musician, and these young people were up to the task. It meant the audience stood in loud and enthusiastic appreciation once more at the end.

    Joe Rice, of Traverse City, is a former high school band and orchestra director and current member of Encore Wind Symphony

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  • La Grande Vitesse trio concertofor trumpet, horn & trombone with orchestra

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    Trumpeter Charley Lea, hornist Erich Peterson and trombonist Daniel Mattson with the Grand Rapids (MI) symphony

    Download score PDF

    Click the button for a PDF-file download of the score for "La Grande Vitesse."

    Read
    review

    . . .

    The real . . . star was composer James M. Stephenson, whose Triple Concerto for Brass was premiered. Trumpeter Charley Lea, hornist Erich Peterson and trombonist Daniel Mattson each rose from their respective second chairs for a solo spot.

    It's 17 minutes of propulsive music, often syncopated a la Bernstein, orchestrated with far-out combinations of instruments, almost always tuneful. It packs a punch, though not as often as you might think with three brass players, who each enjoyed solo turns of matching musicality.

    Stephenson, visiting from Chicago, declared that the piece he titled "La Grande Vitesse" is not a programmatic piece of music. I disagree.

    Its form is ambiguous with unexpected twists and turns. It's unpredictable when the next curve will start, and it's anybody's guess where it might go and how it might end.

    It matters not whether you see orange/red, it sure strikes me as Alexander Calder's stabile etched in sound.

    What's more, Stephenson so wrote it for this orchestra, I wouldn't be surprised if he skipped the names of the instruments and just wrote each player's name on the parts.

    . . .

    By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
    The Grand Rapids Press

  • Chamber Concerto   New in 2009 for chamber orchestra

    Information

    Chamber Concerto  [2009]

    Chamber orchestra

    Duration: 11:30

    Instrumentation: 1111 - 1110 - t+1 - str

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  • Concerto "Braziliano"for trombone and orchestra

    Information

    Concerto "Braziliano"  [2007]

    Trombone and chamber orchestra

    Duration: 16:30

    Instrumentation: 2222 - 2100 - t+1 - str - Solo Trombone

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    Nitzan Haroz, trombone
    Alex Klein, conductor

Fanfares and Overtures

  • American Fanfarefor orchestra
  • Stars and Stripes Fanfarefor orchestra

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    Price: $150.00

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  • Celebration Overturefor chamber orchestra

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    Celebration Overture  [1999]

    Chamber orchestra

    Duration: 10:21

    Instrumentation: 2222 - 2210 - t - hp - pf - str

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  • Rush!for orchestra

    Information

    Rush!  [2009]

    Orchestra

    Duration: 9 min.

    Instrumentation: *3*3*32 - 4331 - t+3(opt. 5) - pf - str

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  • St. Barth's Overturefor chamber orchestra

    Information

    St. Barth's Overture  [1997]

    Chamber orchestra

    Duration: 7 min.

    Instrumentation: 2222 - 2210 - t+1 - str

  • St. John Fanfarefor brass, strings and organ
  • A Fanfare to Youfor orchestra

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    Price: $75

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    Performance
    information

    A Fanfare for You

    This very exciting "A Fanfare to You," written for the Boston Pops 125th anniversary (May 4 premiere), is also available FOR SALE to everyone!

    Details:

    • * The 45-second fanfare is followed by a jubilant scoring of the original tune on which Happy Birthday is based.
    • * You can use the fanfare and tune separately or together.
    • * Perfect for those celebratory events, to honor your orchestra's or the country's milestone events, or a patron's. (No more making it up!)

    Duration: 1:30

    Instrumentation:

    • * Smartly scored so doubling instruments are not necessary, but can be used. * *3*3*32 - 4331 - T+2 - hp - str [Picc, EH, B. Cl and harp are optional]
  • New Years' Fanfarefor orchestra

Educational and Themed

Novelty

  • Concerto for Cell Phonefor cell phone and orchestra
    watch

    Watch a performance on YouTube

    Read
    review

    . . .   The Grand Rapids Symphony opened the concert with 40 minutes of music that Lockington told the audience had "nothing to do with Ellington whatsoever."

    "But they're a lot of fun," he added.

    Sure enough. A romp through Rossini's Overture to "William Tell" and a sober reading of Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings were crowd pleasers. A bit of string virtuosity was called for with Russell Peck's "Signs of Life," an adventurous bluesy number for strings.

    Best of all was a novelty number, "Concerto for Cell Phone," featuring the dry and delightful Steven Brook as soloist in the piece by James Stephenson.

    Wielding a battery of Motorolas and Nokias, and primping as musicians are wont to do on stage, Brook had the audience in stitches.

    For once, hearing a cell phone go off in a concert hall was a genuine pleasure. The difference here was they were going off on cue.

    Next time you're at a concert, do not try this on your own. Brook is a professional.

    by Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk
    The Grand Rapids Press
    Saturday November 15, 2008

  • Bassoon It Will Be Christmas  for three (or two) solo bassoons with orch.

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    Bassoon It Will Be Christmas

    Performance
    information

    Bassoon It Will Be Christmas

    Commissioned by Michael Krajewski.

    The most famous bassoon orchestral excerpts meet the most famous Christmas carols in this clever adaptation.

    Duration: 4:45

    Instrumentation: 3*3*3* 3 SOLO BASSOONS 4331, timp. 3 perc. harp strings

    Also available for 2 solo bassoons.

    Performance record: Houston Symphony, Bloomington Pops, more...

  • Diaper Ragfor chamber orchestra

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