The Santa Fe Symphony co-commissioned one, from Canadian-Cambodian composer Vivian Fung for soloist Mary Elizabeth Bowden, and its local premiere was one of the concert’s highlights. It’s a substantial piece, circa 16 minutes in length, performed in one continuous movement, and Fung succeeds in “stretching the imagination as to what is possible for the instrument,” as she describes one of her goals.
The concerto requires virtuosic playing almost throughout, showcasing Bowden’s facility in rapid passage work, register extremes, and unusual techniques such as flutter tonguing, the trumpeter’s equivalent of a rolled letter R. It begins backwards in terms of standard concerto form, starting with what amounts to an extended cadenza, then continuing with full orchestra and soloist.
For most of the piece Bowden’s musical line soars over the accompaniment, in which short, repetitive themes are passed between sections. It’s not minimalism, however, thanks to Fung’s dynamic and sometimes explosive style.
There are recognizable sections within the concerto, including a jolly, off-kilter march that takes a menacing turn; a slower and more lyrical passage in which Bowden plays the flugelhorn, a mellower trumpet with a deeper sound; and a hip-hop inspired section that leads into the raucous finale. Bowden’s versatility and the orchestra’s committed playing earned the concert’s biggest ovation, and rightly so.
