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BRASS TRIO MUSIC

Contemporary Brass Trio Music & Repertoire

Brass trio repertoire—typically written for trumpet, horn, and trombone—offers a vibrant blend of color, power, and lyrical warmth.
This page presents Lior Navok’s work for brass trio alongside a curated selection of contemporary pieces written for this ensemble. The combination of three contrasting brass voices creates a flexible chamber group capable of both bold, fanfare‑like writing and intimate, blended textures, making it a compelling formation for modern chamber music.

PAPER TIGERS

for brass trio

BRASS TRIO MUSIC

Duration:
9: 30 minutes
 
Instrumentation:
trumpet, horn and trombone
 
Year Composed:

2023

World Premiere:
TBA

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Recording:
Not available yet

"Paper Tigers" - music for brass trio

About Paper Tigers

Paper Tigers is a 9½‑minute trio for trumpet, horn, and trombone exploring the contrast between outward strength and inner fragility. Inspired by the expression describing those who appear fierce yet prove vulnerable, the piece unfolds in a series of character‑driven scenes. Bold brass gestures gradually reveal cracks, hesitations, and exposed textures, allowing the ensemble to portray both power and its unraveling. Written in 2023, the work highlights the expressive and dramatic potential of the modern brass trio.

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For the Performers

Level: Ideal for professional brass players; also suitable for advanced students exploring color, articulation, and character‑based writing.
 

Programming: Works well in contemporary chamber concerts, brass recitals, and programs centered on narrative or psychological themes.
 

Style: A sequence of contrasting scenes balancing bold, declamatory writing with exposed, delicate textures.
 

Venue Fit: Effective in medium‑sized halls where resonance, blend, and dramatic nuance can be clearly appreciated.

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Program Notes

Paper Tigers is a term used to describe individuals, leaders, or nations who project a façade of fierceness akin to a tiger, yet upon closer inspection reveal fragility akin to paper. The music presents these “paper tigers” in diverse scenarios, exploring their personas and vulnerabilities.

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Related Music:

About Brass Trio Chamber Music

The brass trio is a compact yet expressive ensemble, balancing the brilliance of the trumpet, the warmth of the horn, and the depth of the trombone. Contemporary composers often use this combination to explore rhythmic vitality, rich harmonies, and the unique timbral interplay of brass instruments. Its versatility makes the brass trio well suited for concert performance, educational programs, and modern chamber‑music settings.

Selected Music for Brass Trio

  • Andersen, Eyvin – Intrada (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Bentzon, Niels Viggo – Trio, Op. 82 (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Bernofsky, Lauren – Trio for Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Blank, Allan – Brass Trio (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Bozza, Eugène – (Various original works for Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Brehm, Alvin – Trio for Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Cabus, Peter – Sonata á Tre (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Carter, Elliott – Call (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Chou Wen-chung – Métaphores (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Dahl, Ingolf – Music for Brass Instruments (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Frackenpohl, Arthur – Brass Trio (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Gillingham, David R. – Trio for Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Koetsier, Jan – Figaro-Metamorphosen, Op. 131 (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Martin, Frank – Trio for Brass Instruments (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Michel, Jean-François – Suite (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Mollá, Ricardo – Song for Nurya (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Muczynski, Robert – Voyages: Seven Pieces for Brass Trio, Op. 27 (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Naulais, Jérôme – Flash (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Navok, Lior – Paper Tigers (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone, 2023)

  • Nelhýbel, Václav – Trio for Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Plog, Anthony – Trio for Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Poulenc, Francis – Sonata for Horn, Trumpet and Trombone, FP 33a (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Reynolds, Verne – Trio for Trumpet, Horn, and Trombone (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Sampson, David – Duncan Trio (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Sanders, Robert – Trio for Brass Instruments (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

  • Schnyder, Daniel – Trio for Trumpet, Horn, and Trombone/Bass Trombone or Tuba (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone/Bass Trombone or Tuba)

  • Starer, Robert – Trio for Brass (Trumpet, Horn, Trombone)

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