Worlds We Might Have Known (trumpet, French horn, and trombone)

Description

Click here to view the perusal score for Worlds We Might Have Known.

Program notes:

In the aftermath of deep trauma, it’s not uncommon to dwell on what life was like before everything changed and how things might have turned out had we been spared the pain. And when we consistently take the time to look at the state of the world, it’s very easy to find ourselves bogged down by wave after wave of devastation as we watch legions of horrors being visited upon our fellow humans every day. The resulting grief can be overwhelming as we struggle to comprehend everything from mass death to starvation to the strategic and intentional denial of lifesaving medical care. Given the ease with which we can access this information in the social media era, it’s relatively common to get stuck in a mournful loop of “this could have been avoided” and find ourselves endlessly ruminating on how things might have been had a specific terrible event never happened.

While Worlds We Might Have Known was born out of a need to process the immense grief I have experienced in recent months and years while bearing witness United States-sponsored violence both domestically and abroad, I caution those who encounter this work not to frame it as an eternal state. Grief is an ever-changing landscape, which I have tried to reflect through the restarted phrases and ultimately abandoned modal mixtures that permeate the piece. The mere slivers of musical dreaming the performers begin with are ultimately the only things they’re left with in the end, because the point of this piece isn’t escapism. There’s no rewriting the past, and it would be a disservice to those we’ve lost to build a world where their deaths are forgotten. Ultimately, Worlds We Might Have Known is about letting go of perhaps-sweeter versions of reality which are no longer available to us. It is a reverent kiss goodbye.

Notes to the performers:

Worlds We Might Have Known is a piece about grief in the face of abject tragedy. It is an honor to write this for Ternion Brass in particular; as I mention often in my works, I was fortunate to study under trumpeter Brianne Borden from 2016—2017, during which time some of the most impactful work we did together was in preparing me for performances in which I would likely hold audiences’ grief in my hands. To revisit the topic as a composer almost a decade later, during another time of societal upheaval and trauma on many fronts, with an ensemble unafraid of that responsibility is an immense honor. That said, it is also my obligation as the composer of this work to implore you to prioritize your own care while preparing and presenting this work. Emotionally complex topics of all kinds can and often do take immense tolls on performers working with them—and I want you to come out the other side of this one about as okay as you went in.

The bones of this work center on three things: timbre, counterpoint, and space. Across the piece, you will find phrases that grow into or out of unisons between two or more voices. Anytime you are in unison with another voice, pay special attention to blend. You don’t have to hide your sound in somebody else’s, but phrases that grow from a unison should feel as though a second voice is emerging out of the mist and vice versa. The final unison statement of all three voices should be as perfectly balanced as you can get it; in a perfect world, a listener with eyes closed should wonder exactly which instrument is playing the line.

All of the time changes in Worlds were decided based on momentum and counterpoint; as such, the resulting sense of flow is an important component of the work. You don’t need to be metronome-perfect all the time, but the faster-moving sections of music will need to be more regular and less rubato. Anything marked pp should be approached as a hesitant echo, a reconsideration, a “maybe we’ll start again;” feel free to add a little time and (horizontal) space to those moments. Draw the tension out!

(Performance notes are continued in the score.)

Frequently asked: How should I write the name of this piece in programs/posts/etc.?
Answer: With the first letter of each word capitalized (Worlds We Might Have Known). This is the rare piece of mine (post-2020, at least) which DOES capitalize in ways readers might expect, so thank you for your attention!
May I chop up your program notes?
Answer: Please don’t! My notes are in many cases my only opportunity to speak directly to your audience. If limited program space is a consideration, consider linking them to this page via a QR code and/or reading them aloud for your audience during your set.
Can I download materials forever?
Answer: As long as my website is functional and the materials are stored there, yes. HOWEVER, I strongly encourage all performers to download all your performance materials immediately after purchase—technical difficulties can occur on both my end and yours, and I’d hate to leave you without your materials if a problem arises!
What is the Atkinson Hyperlegible edition?
Answer: The Atkinson Hyperlegible edition is a new, second version of the score that delivers along with my original. This edition exclusively uses a typeface (Atkinson Hyperlegible) that is designed to be friendlier for low-vision and dyslexic folks. It automatically delivers with all scores composed in 2025 or later, and I am in the process of retroactively adding these additions for new purchases of older works. If you have previously purchased or commissioned a piece of mine and would benefit from an Atkinson Hyperlegible edition, please drop me an email using the information on my Contact page and I will get you a PDF ASAP at no charge!

Known performances:

Got one I’m missing? Let me know! (And performers: if you see a name on here that you no longer use, I will fix it! Please send me an email with your old name, what you’d like it changed to, and where it appears.)

• 6/5/2026, UCLA FLUX Ensemble, Los Angeles, CA. Click here to watch FLUX Ensemble’s performance at 5:00pm Pacific on June 5th.
• 6/28/2025, Ternion Brass (Brianne Borden, Heidi Lucas, and Bruce Tychinski), International Horn Symposium, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA (world premiere).