Trumpet Songs – Raquel Samayoa

Raquel Samayoa, trumpet

Michael Schneider, piano

Paul Rennick and Sandi Rennick, percussion

Hidden-in-obscurity-works by female composers!

COMPOSERS: Jennifer Higdon, Florence Price, Libby Larsen, Nicole Piunno, Joy Webb, Cecilia McDowall

In her career, Samayoa has played with an all-female brass band (Athena Brass Band), brass choir (Monarch Brass), and an all-female mariachi group (Mariachi Rosas Divinas). She also co-hosted the International Women’s Brass Conference in 2014 and will co-host again in 2022. Lastly, she currently performs with an all-female brass quintet, Seraph Brass and brass trio, Lantana Trio. She did not seek out to play in these exclusive groups, but there has been a need and movement to bring attention to the under-representation of females in the brass world. In this same vein, she finds herself passionately interested in bringing an album devoted to female composers.  There are amazing works by female composers for trumpet and piano that are either hidden in obscurity or have never been recorded. She believes this album will bring attention to these works and composers.

The album features works for trumpet and piano, as well as trumpet and percussion.

Libby Larsen’s Ridge Runner was commissioned in 2012 by the International Women’s Brass Conference and includes 2 percussionists.

Jennifer Higdon’s Trumpet Songs are exquisitely brilliant and in six short movements that explore the lyrical side of the trumpet.

Major Joy Webb’s contributions to The Salvation Army’s vocal repertoire has been significant. Bandmaster Ivor Bosanko of the USA Western Territory transcribed Share my Yoke, one of Major Webb’s most poignant compositions.

Framed (2009) by Cecilia McDowall is a colorful collection of pieces for trumpet and piano which draws its inspirations from a variety of art works.

Trumpet Songs – Raquel Samayoa