The Last Trumpet by Evan Williams

Performed live on April 12th, 2024 as a part of Christopher Keach's second doctoral recital. The Last Trumpet by Evan Williams Program Notes: "Evan Williams, born in 1988, is a composer and conductor who draws inspiration from a diverse range of repertoire styles. In his compositions, he explores the thin lines between beauty and disquieting, joy and sorrow, and simple and complex, while often tackling important social and political issues. Williams’s catalogue contains a broad range of work, from vocal and operatic offerings to instrumental works, along with electronic music. About the work, Williams writes: 'Between 2013 and 2018, several witnesses around the world reported hearing the sound of discordant “trumpets” blaring in the sky. There are video recordings of this from rural villages in Europe to major cities in North America. As of this date, there is no widely accepted explanation for the phenomenon. Many were quick to draw the obvious connection to Christian apocalyptic writings. Several instances of the end of the world heralded by the sound of the trumpet are found in the Bible, other religious texts, and music. The Last Trumpet for solo trumpet and interactive electronics is inspired by this unexplained phenomenon. It employs musical references to apocalyptic trumpet calls from works such as Verdi’s Requiem, Britten’s War Requiem, and Handel’s Messiah. The Last Trumpet was commissioned by a consortium of trumpet players led by Adam Gaines, Isaac Mayhew, and Sam Wells.' This is the Canadian premiere of The Last Trumpet.