“Souvenir” for Jazz Orchestra

Program note

Most of us bring home a keepsake from the places we travel – to inspire our recollections of the past and to materialize the adventures we undertook. I’m very interested in the way our memories are tinted by nostalgia or grief, dual emotions that underlie every story we tell. In “Souvenir”, two main melodies (one introduced by alto saxophone and trumpets, the other punctuated by trombones) are brought back in different rhythms, keys, and orchestrations – suggesting the subtleties in which we shade and remember our own narratives. The souvenirs in this jazz piece behave accordingly, inspiring within ourselves a journey of remembrance that is as compelling as the memory itself.

Performance history

Premiered by the UT Jazz Ensemble and featuring José A. Castillo on the baritone saxophone on May 9th, 2019 at the Butler School of Music in Austin, TX.