2023

Duration: 4:00

Grade 3

Composer’s Note:

Trailbreaker was commissioned in celebration of the feminine voice in band music.

Growing up and going through band, I could not remember playing any music written by a woman. While this was not intentional by my teachers, this lack of exposure subconsciously changed the way I approached my career. Despite my love of band and composing, it wasn’t until late in my education that I put two and two together. As I met more women in the field I felt the importance of diverse voices in music. You see, good music goes beyond notes on the page. Good music is about intention and emotion, how music connects with people, what stories the composer can tell, and how they can share their life and perspective of the world. Celebrating a variety of voices in our repertoire is an essential aspect of creating the inclusive community we all love.