Red Dragonfly

Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra

or

Concerto for Trombone and Band

or

Sonata for Trombone and Piano

Duration:  17:00

“…the audience loved Red Dragonfly.  Definitely a keeper in my repertoire!”
Dr. James Bicigo, Associate Professor of Trombone, University of Alaska, Anchorage

“Everyone is still talking about how awesome the Red Dragonfly Concerto was!   Wow!”
Greg Johnson, President, Gainesville Orchestra

Virtuoso piece, the dramatic first movement opens with a Bold statement followed by the beautiful love theme.  It reaches up to the “Cry of the Heart,” then everything ruptures and crashes.  Now the trombonist must rebuild and gain strength through dramatic cadenzas until reaching the recapitulation where the opening Bold melody is transformed into a majestic march in 3/4 time.  The love theme returns, and the movement ends in triumph.

The second movement is a setting of the famous Japanese folksong, “Red Dragonfly.”  The trombonist and accompaniment take turns playing the lovely song amidst the sound of fluttering wings that appear and disappear like memories of the heart.  Thank you to the Nihon Gakugeki Kyoukai Foundation for permission to use the melody.

A solo glissando opens the third movement in American folk dance style with tongue in cheek and twinkle in both eyes.  The subsequent variations include a perfect triple canon, a taste of New Orleans jazz, and a dramatic augmentation which spills into a flashback of the first movement’s love theme.  This melts away and we recapture a glimpse of the Red Dragonfly melody, this time growing to the Triumphant restatement of the first movement’s Bold main theme.  And finally, the exuberant coda drives to a spectacular ending.

Link to premiere performance of sonata version with piano – Listen on YouTube!
with Megumi Kanda, principal trombone, Milwaukee Symphony

Link to Megumi Kanda performing with The US Army Band – Listen on YouTube!
(start at 15:50)

Difficulty Level:
Trombone    6 (Professional)
Band           5 (Advanced)
Piano          5 (Advanced)

Red Dragonfly, Sonata for Trombone and Piano
Click here for Print Purchase Solo Trombone Part and Piano Part

For digital download go to digital.subitomusic.com and search for Amy Riebs Mills
or Click here for digital download.

Red Dragonfly, Concerto for Trombone and Band

— Click here to Purchase Band Score
— Click here for Band Parts Rental

Red Dragonfly, Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra

— Click here to Purchase Orchestra Score
— Orchestra Parts will be available for Rental starting with the 2023-2024 season

Red Dragonfly for Orchestra consortium members, contact composer for parts

Red Dragonfly, Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra Reference Recording