Baritone voice and:
Trumpet in C: could be substituted by:
Soprano Saxophone in Bb, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet in Bb, Violin, Viola
Trombone: could be substituted by:
Bass Clarinet in Bb, Baritone Saxophone in Eb, Cello
Bass Clarinet in Bb: could be substituted by:
Baritone Saxophone in Eb, Cello
First performance by loadbang — Ty Bouque, baritone, Andy Kozar, trumpet, William Lang, trombone, Adrian Sandi, bass clarinet — on 21 June 2026 at Longy School of Music in Pickman Concert Hall, Cambridge, MA.
Duration: 4 minutes (Two optional shorter duration versions are clearly marked in the score: 2’45”and 3’15”)
In Greek mythology, Calliope ('beautiful-voiced') is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry, so-called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Calliope is usually shown with a writing tablet in her hand.
To show off the virtuosity, auras, modes, and depths of loadbang’s craft and skill, across this fanfare’s four-minute duration, the musical materials are kaleidoscopic. Auras, at once dramatic, vivid, sparkling, passionate, expressive, lyrical, floating, and rhythmic, are interlaced. The voice—an embodiment of the Muse—sings only in vowels, the wordless vocalise of poetry’s transcendent ineffability announcing its great mystery.
CALLIOPE’S MAGIC FANFARE was commissioned by loadbang and dedicated with admiration and gratitude to loadbang.
It is difficult to express how grateful I am to the extraordinary colleagues who have made possible this commission and world premiere. Thank you all.
The world premiere, performed by loadbang, took place on 21 June 2026 at Longy School of Music in Pickman Concert Hall, Cambridge, MA.
OPTIONAL TO INCLUDE A.R.T.’S DOODLE OF THE MAP OF FORM AND AURA
Aaron Keebaugh, The Boston Musical Intelligencer, June 19, 2026
“The effect of Calliope’s Magic Fanfare, an arresting new work by Augusta Read Thomas, felt as powerful and intense as a punch in the gut.
These are precisely the kinds of sounds one has come to expect from one of America’s most visible and expressive composers. Thomas’s music is at once adventurous and familiar, ear-bending yet deeply personal. And at only four minutes in length, Calliope’s Magic Fanfare challenges listeners as much as it invites them in. Heard in its world premiere by the new music ensemble loadbang at Pickman Hall Saturday night, the score stands firmly alongside some of Thomas’s most colorful works, presented as part of a portrait concert by Longy Conservatory’s Divergent Studio.
Thomas conceived of Calliope after poring through loadbang’s catalogue of performances on their website. But even given the ensemble’s vast collection, she was surprised to find no fanfare in their repertoire. So, she created one, using her gifts as an orchestrator to make an unusual combination of trumpet, trombone, bass clarinet, and baritone sound both surprising and natural.
At her best, Thomas blends musical intuition and spontaneity with an exacting eye for notational detail that allows the performers to bring the music to life effortlessly. Still, her lines push musicians to their limits. In Calliope, trumpeter Andy Kozar, trombonist William Lang, and bass clarinetist Adrián Sandí shaped angular lines with colorful effects. At its center runs a florid line for loadbang baritone Ty Bouque, whose buttery voice leaps between throaty low notes to ringing falsetto with athletic grace. The horns then work in tandem, continuing the line where Bouque left off before tossing it back to him. The score reflects superb teamwork, and loadbang played it with aplomb."
To obtain examination or performance material for this
Augusta Read Thomas work, please contact Nimbus Music Publishing.
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