Review

William Pagán-Pérez
Justice Fanfare: A music piece to unite people in a good cause
Octet: 6 tenor, 2 bass trombones

Buffalo, NY, United States
Publisher: William Pagán-Pérez
Date of Publication: 2020
URL: http://www.williampagan.com

Score.

Primary Genre: Trombone Ensembles - 8 trombones

Born in Puerto Rico in 1976, William Pagán-Pérez holds degrees from the University of Utah and Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico. Justice Fanfare was commissioned by the initiative Harmonic Revolution: Music for Change of the University of Utah School of Music and by Donn Schaefer. It is available as a free download from the composer’s website.

The piece is composed for trombone octet, six tenors and two basses with the option of using alto on one ostinato pattern, with optional percussion instruments, claves, for example. It ranges from an optional EE-flat in the bass part to a-flat¹ in the upper parts. All parts are written in bass clef.

The piece uses an afro-cuban Guaguancó rhythm and Son clave (3-2 clave pattern). It has an A-A-B-A form. Some players may find the syncopated rhythms tricky at first but patterns repeat enough and are frequently doubled so that this shouldn’t present a serious problem.

This is a solid composition that can be played by a strong, high school level ensemble, and can provide nice variety to a program. While the percussion parts are optional, I believe the piece is much stronger with them included.