Colors for beginners

Perhaps Jean-François Michel felt the same as I did after a day of judging a brass competition in the youngest categories: On the one hand, you are delighted by so many courageous and skillful performances, but on the other hand, you can also strongly feel the exhaustion and you will always hear the same melodies of the Vandercook pieces (Vega etc.). The repertoire of "concert pieces" for beginners is indeed not very large and usually not of very high quality.

This is precisely where Jean-François Michel comes in, as he not only writes technically sophisticated pieces for "professionals" in his own collection at Editions BIM, but is also not too shy to meet the needs of beginners with the same love and meticulousness. This is how, in 2014, the pretty Petite Suite for trumpet and piano, which contains three shorter pieces: Parade - Berceuse - March (approx. 8 minutes playing time). The movements can also be played individually and - despite their simplicity in terms of instrumental technique - are characterized by subtle compositional artistry. Thus the Petite Suite will certainly give the young performers great pleasure both on the piano (the piano part can be played well by somewhat talented music students) and on the trumpet - and will provide the judges with a more than welcome change should the pieces ever be played at a competition.

Jean François Michel, Petite Suite for trumpet (cornet, flugelhorn) and piano, TP343, Fr. 15.00, Editions Bim, Vuarmarens 2014