At the end of 2014 I had the idea to use the Charlier Etude No.2 as the basis for a trumpet ensemble piece. The melody was begging to be turned into a tango, so that’s what I did. I had a blast writing this and we (Professors ensemble) performed it at our annual Trumpet Festival of the Southeast in 2015 at the University of Alabama with none other than Phil Smith conducting. I tried to maintain all of the original parts of the melody but exposing them to the implied harmonies and character of the tango groove with repeats as necessary to fit the style.

This is for ten Bb trumpets but some parts could be played on C. I am pleased top share this recording of the piece just rendered by Jim Olcott, who recorded all ten parts. Jim “was professor of trumpet for 35 years at Miami University (Ohio), where he led a dynamic trumpet studio with several top-notch ensembles. While at Miami he was an active player throughout the area and around the country in both jazz and classical genres, including holding the position of principal trumpet of the Cincinnati Ballet Orchestra for nearly 25 years.” Jim is now “mostly” retired and lives in the Minneapolis area and conducts the Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble.

Theo’s Tango performed by Jim Olcott.