Program Notes

Dedicated to the removal of the iconic trestle bridge in Letchworth State Park, Letchworth Fanfare seeks to capture images of glistening waterfalls, bridges and trains, expansive natural beauty, and the brilliance of progress. In 2018 (the same year Letchworth Fanfare was composed), the iron bridge called the “Portage Viaduct” was dismantled and replaced by a new and functionally improved bridge with a steel arch design (also named the “Portage Viaduct”). Located in what is known as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” the viaduct provides passage for train traffic 240 feet above the
Upper Falls of the stunning Genesee River Gorge in Letchworth State Park. The old trestle bridge, which was built within a span of less than three months in 1875, lasted a remarkable 143 years and became an area hallmark for residents and visitors.

Like the iron and steel components in bridges and trains, Letchworth Fanfare features metallic sounds from brass instruments and an assortment of percussion instruments, while shimmering woodwinds and percussion evoke sparkling waterfalls and the magnificence of nature. In addition, the structure of the piece clearly defines sections
that are linked together and repeated, quite like the cars on a train. Finally, the use of polychords throughout the work captures an essence of modernity and a view toward the future.

Letchworth Fanfare was commissioned by Jason Decker and the Letchworth Junior High Band with a grant from the Arts Council for Wyoming County. This grant not only provided the students with a new piece to premiere, but it also afforded the opportunity for Composition Workshops, in which students were able to create their own
compositions using the same basic structure as Letchworth Fanfare. As this piece simultaneously looks back and toward the future – so too must we in teaching young people the craft, brilliance, and beauty in music.