February 21, 2025
This weekend, Butler School of Music professor of composition Sam Lipman will premiere his Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra with the Austin Symphony. On Thursday, I had the opportunity to attend the rehearsal and hear the concerto in its entirety. The piece features two soloists: Austin’s own Ephraim Owens and New York phenom Giveton Gelin.
Ephraim Owens and Giveton Gelin rehearse Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra
The concerto is candy for the ears, blending elements of jazz, rock, hip-hop, and classical music. It opens with both trumpet players on stage, performing together briefly before Ephraim exits, leaving Giveton to take the spotlight. The three movements fly by, culminating in a triumphant finale where Ephraim returns to the stage for a dazzling duel-trumpet conclusion.
Composer Sam Lipman and Assistant Conductor of the Austin Symphony, Pablo Zamora, go over the score in rehearsal
Audience members might wonder why Ephraim comes and goes during the performance. The reason lies in his integral role in the creation of the piece. Over a decade ago, Ephraim and Sam Lipman conceived the idea for the concerto during a jazz festival in Hawaii. At the time, Sam was a jazz musician with aspirations of becoming a composer. Late one night, after a few drinks, someone asked them about their dreams. Sam replied, “To write orchestral music,” and Ephraim responded, “To perform your orchestral music.”
Ephraim Owens waits for his cue to enter while Giveton Gelin plays the trumpet during rehearsal.
Sam spent the next decade pursuing graduate studies and building his career as a composer, often working on film and television projects. But he never forgot that night in Hawaii. When the Austin Symphony commissioned him to write a concerto, he knew Ephraim had to be involved—both in the creative process and on stage.
Conductor Peter Bay cues trumpeter Giveton Gelin during rehearsal
While Ephraim played a starring role in the collaboration, Giveton Gelin shines as the featured performer. During rehearsal, Giveton walked on stage with a quiet, almost shy demeanor, seemingly embarrassed by the orchestra’s applause. But the moment he picked up his trumpet, he commanded the stage. In the third movement, as the music crescendos, it’s astonishing how Giveton’s trumpet cuts through the orchestra’s powerful sound. The piece grows increasingly complex and demanding, yet Giveton makes it look effortless, seamlessly transitioning between classical, jazz, rock, and hip-hop styles with inhuman precision.
Giveton Gelin plays the trumpet with conductor Peter Bay
The Austin Symphony Orchestra will perform Sam Lipman’s Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra featuring Ephraim Owens and Giveton Gelin this Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Long Center.