Review


William Pagán-Pérez
Western New York Trombone Concerto:
Trombone and orchestra

Buffalo, New York, United States
Publisher: William Pagán-Pérez
Date of Publication: 2019
URL: http://www.williampagan.com

Score.

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with orchestra

William Pagán-Pérez has earned the Master of Music degree in Music Performance-Trombone from the University of Utah, a Brass Instruments Performance Certificate and a Bachelor of Music degree (Education/Trombone) from the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico. He is a former trombone instructor and music history professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico and has taught trombone, euphonium, and music theory at the Preparatory School of the Conservatory of Music in Puerto Rico. He has been dedicated to promoting and preserving music education and the teaching of musical instruments among teenagers and children of Puerto Rico. During the last ten years, he has conducted different beginner and intermediate level concert bands and symphony orchestras; composing, scoring, and arranging music to develop new repertoire with characteristics of the traditional and folkloric music of Puerto Rico, the Afro Caribbean, and Hispano Americas. He has composed and published solo works for trombone and other wind instruments. These works feature academic, educational and entertaining music that include the classical traditions with a touch of his Afro-Hispano-American heritage. Mr. Pagán-Pérez is currently a public school music teacher in the Western New York Area. His website lists numerous works for trombone, bass trombone, trombone quartet and trombone choir: https://williampagan.com.

This Concerto is cast in three movements, each named after a town in Western New York: Cheektowaga, Niagara Falls, Tonawanda. The technical and musical demands of the trombone part are such that a good undergraduate level player can negotiate them. The orchestral parts are also of an intermediate level, playable by a good amateur level group.  Rather than giving readers a description of the musical language/style of the Concerto, listen to a midi recording on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u8Z0-wwtfE.

The sheet music is available for digital download at www.williampagan.com or http://www.sheetmusicplus.com. Printing and score layout are both superb.

Reviewer: Karl Hinterbichler
Review Published June 24, 2023
Appears in Journal 49:3 (July, 2021)