new duo for trombone and percussion

rusty knives, torn pages is up-cycled from selected moments of my composition Die Bücher der Zeiten (2010) for three female voices, percussion, and trombone. My first impulse was simply to get more mileage out of the tastiest bits and create material I could play with my percussionist friends. But on a deeper level, I needed to reflect on what it means to grow older, to feel rusty and even a bit torn myself, and why I continue to play the trombone. As motivational coaches like to say, “giving up is not an option.” But of course, we all know it is. So why keep going? At what cost? For whom? Or is the sheer fun of it reason enough? Until I find a clear answer, I keep playing. Rusty Knives, Torn Pages is dedicated to all brass players who ask themselves similar questions.

The piece was premiered with Oded Geizhals and myself in Bielefeld last January, 2025. Michael Kiedaisch and I were having ago at it last June until I trashed my hand in a biking accident. Better luck next time.