MUSIC FOR TROMBONE AND PIANO
This page presents a contemporary trombone music repertoire for trombone and piano. The collection highlights new works for this specific trombone piano ensemble, including notable duets for trombone and piano.
SAMSĀRA
for trombone and piano
Duration:
11 minutes
Instrumentation:
tenor trombone and piano
Year Composed:
2023
Dedicated to:
Benny Sluchin
Recording / Premiere:
Not yet available.
Premiere performance forthcoming
About Samsāra
Samsāra is an 11‑minute work for tenor trombone and piano composed in 2023 and dedicated to Benny Sluchin. The piece draws inspiration from the Buddhist concept of the Bhavacakra — the Wheel of Life, or the cycle of birth, death, rebirth, and suffering. Rather than depicting doctrine, the music reflects the emotional and philosophical essence of this cycle: motion without resolution, patterns that return transformed, and the sense of being carried forward by forces larger than oneself. The trombone and piano continually exchange roles — leading, following, circling back — creating a musical metaphor for the cyclical nature of Samsāra.
For the Performers
Level: Ideal for professional trombonists and pianists; also suitable for advanced students exploring expressive pacing, color, and sustained musical tension.
Programming: Works well in contemporary trombone recitals, themed programs exploring philosophy or cyclical structures, and concerts featuring modern duos for brass and piano.
Competitions / Auditions: Suitable for competitions and auditions that value expressive depth, control of long lines, and the ability to shape evolving musical arcs.
Style: Reflective, cyclical, and symbolically charged; the trombone and piano alternate between propulsion and suspension, mirroring the turning of the wheel.
Program Notes
Samsāra embodies the profound concept of the “Wheel of Suffering” or “Bhavacakra” in Buddhism. The Bhavacakra represents the cycle of life, death, rebirth, and suffering from which Buddhists seek to escape. It is sometimes metaphorically described as a wheel off its axle, symbolizing the unsatisfactory nature of life. In this composition, the trombone and piano take turns leading and following, symbolizing the cyclical nature of Samsara. Samsāra is dedicated to Benny Sluchin.