James Stephenson - Life’s Journey (Jeffrey Work; María García)

Information

Composer: James Stephenson

• Sonata No. 2 for Trumpet and Piano
• Viaggio Vita for Violin, Trumpet, and Piano
• Silent Echoes for Trumpet and Piano
• Remember Forward for Trumpet and Piano
• Thinking for Violin, Cello, Clarinet, Bassoon, Trumpet, and Piano

Jeffrey Work, trumpet

María García, piano

Sarah Kwak, violin

Emily Cole, violin

David Eby, cello

James Shields, clarinet

Carin Miller, bassoon

Date: 2026

Label: MSR Classics

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Oregon Symphony Principal Trumpeter Jeffrey Work and pianist María García, along with several Oregon Symphony colleagues and friends, present Life’s Journey, a new recording of trumpet music by composer James Stephenson. At once virtuosic and nuanced, Work’s playing brings to life the music of his longtime friend, traversing a wide variety of emotional landscapes. The people who commission his works spark the composer’s imagination; through his music, we hear their stories of love, loss, adventure, and inspiration. The composer served as producer for each of the recording sessions which took place at The Hallowed Halls Recording Studio in Portland OR in the spring of 2024. 

A multifaceted figure in contemporary American music, James Stephenson began his career as a professional trumpeter with the Naples Philharmonic for 17 seasons before transitioning to a full-time composer, conductor, and educator in 2007. Renowned for his expressive, storytelling-driven style, his award-winning catalog includes five symphonies, extensive chamber and educational works, and premieres by prestigious ensembles like the Chicago Symphony, Boston Pops, and "The President’s Own" U.S. Marine Band. Stephenson's versatile compositions span ballet, concertos for nearly every instrument, and opera—notably his 2023 debut, Cåraboo—cementing his status as a widely performed, critically acclaimed composer based in Lake Forest, Illinois.

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