Joel Brennan, trumpet

New Works

I have been fortunate to work with composers all over the world towards the creation of new works, including solo pieces and chamber music. Upcoming and recent commissions include new works for trumpet and piano by Catherine Likhuta and Michael Frazier; brass quintets by Jennifer Higdon, Alice Humphries, and Linda Kouvaras; as and works for Ensemble Three (trumpet, trombone, guitar) by Alan Holley, Melody Eötvös, and Christopher Sainsbury.

A complete list of compositions that I have commissioned, were written for me, or with which I was otherwise involved in originating can be found at http://joelbrennan.com/commissions/

Brass Quintet Database

The Brass Quintet Repertoire Database is an ongoing project to publish the most comprehensive listing of music written for brass quintet since the invention of modern brass instruments. Through user contributions, the database can become a more complete and accurate resource.

Poper's Game

Updated version coming soon!

A unique practice tool for trumpet players that helps build confidence, efficiency, and consistency. Stop fussing with your embouchure so you can focus on whats important - the music.

Every musician needs to play with ease and accuracy, yet oftentimes misses entrances or plays with a strained tone quality. For trumpet players, these errors are commonly a result of unnecessary embouchure adjustments, whether made knowingly or impulsively.

Methods of addressing the psychological and physical implications of seeing and anticipating a particular pitch are elusive. This app encourages consistency, both in embouchure and breath, so as to minimize mistakes and increase efficiency and control. The app displays a randomly-generated pitch only after the player has set his/her embouchure and begun to breathe. An accuracy score is logged to track progress in the player's efforts to make reliable entries in any register.

"Poper's game" was created by Joel Brennan (University of Melbourne) based on the pedagogy of Roy Poper (Oberlin College Conservatory). For best results, the app should be used in daily practice sessions with strict attention to detail.

Ensemble Three

Ensemble Three was founded by Melbourne-based musicians unified in their goal to diversify and expand the chamber music repertoire for trumpet, trombone, and guitar. Over the past five years the group has curated a unique collection of cutting-edge new works and presented performances that resonate with current-day audiences. Each member brings a distinctive musical background to the ensemble, with influences ranging from jazz and popular music to traditional “classical” and avant-garde contemporary music. Many of the pieces they have commissioned enhance the sonic possibilities of their unique instrumental combination through the addition of pre-recorded electronic soundscapes and live electronic sound manipulation.

The group’s debut album, Midnight Songs, received numerous favourable reviews and has been described as an “intriguingly beautiful record” (CutCommon) that “hold[s] the listener enthralled” (Soundboard). They won the 2017 Melbourne Recital Centre Contemporary Masters Award, and ABC Classic FM showcased their world-premiere performance of Wally Gunn’s Pinwheel at the 2017 International Rostrum of Composers in Sicily.

Through their performances in Australia and overseas, a dedication to commissioning new works, and an ever-expanding catalogue of recordings, Ensemble Three has established itself as “an inspiring example of forward-thinking classical music culture in Australia” (CutCommon).

More info can be found at ensemblethree.com

Lyrebird Brass

Comprised of some of Melbourne's top brass musicians, Lyrebird Brass is a collective of players dedicated to performing the finest brass chamber music. At the fore of the group's mission is the goal to expand brass repertoire through new commissions with a particular emphasis on Australian music. The members have performed across the globe in some of the world's premiere ensembles, each bringing with them a unique musical background.

The name "Lyrebird Brass" is a homage to a unique songbird native to the ensemble's hometown of Melbourne. Lyrebirds are known for singing for hours each day in a combination of their own distinctive song and mimicked noises, and can even vocalise multiple melodies simultaneously. The name is also a reference to Éditions de l'Oiseau-Lyre (Lyrebird Press), part of Louise Hanson-Dyer's legacy which has so benefited the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music where each member teaches.

More info can be found at http://lyrebirdbrass.com

Reveille Trumpet Collective