A Trip Takes Us for brass quintet uses a two-movement structure to create a musical metaphor for the ways in which people plan. The first movement, “by design,” behaves as if some force is attempting to urge musical materials to act in specific ways. Opening fanfare gestures make way for a rhythmically active music that attempts to reach a satisfying peak before falling apart. The second movement, “emergence,” employs a more humble approach; simple musical materials are allowed to run their course until a desirable destination is reached. Similar to a theme and variations, the music uses repeating phrase structures in order to generate organic growth.

Commissioned jointly by Mercer Island High School Band Boosters and Philharmonia Northwest, A Trip Takes Us was completed in the fall of 2015 to be performed by the MIHS Brass Quintet during Philharmonia Northwest’s 40th anniversary season.