Matthew Guilford, bass trombonist with the National Symphony and senior lecturer at University of Maryland, College Park, will be a featured soloist with the UMD Wind Orchestra. On December 9, 2022, Guilford will perform James Stephenson’s Sonata Rhapsody “The Arch” on a program that also includes music by Lance Hulme, William Grant Still, and Carlos Simon.
Stephenson composed Sonata Rhapsody “The Arch” in 2010 for Gerry Pagano, former bass trombonist of the St. Louis Symphony. There are many similarities between the sonata and the St. Louis Arch — for example, the outer width of the arch is 630 feet, while the the piece is 630 measures. The version for wind ensemble was commissioned by Grady McGrannahan as a retirement gift for his father, Mack McGrannahan, former Director of Bands and Low Brass Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Guilford has served as bass trombonist of the National Symphony since 1991 and has taught at UMD since 1993. He has performed with several of America’s leading orchestras including the San Francisco Opera Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, Boston Symphony, Boston Pops, Minnesota Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony.
The concert will be open to public and will also be available to livestream. Tickets for both options are “pay what you wish.”