Kevin McKee has composed a new, fun, energetic piece for the modern trumpeter. Centennial Horizon was commissioned by Catherine Sheridan in 2011. The composer chose the state of Colorado, the Centennial State, as his inspiration. The work is in two contrasting movements with an interlude; the performance time is around 11 minutes in length.

There are many challenges for both trumpet and piano. In the trumpet, sonorous melodies combine with angular leaps. The performer is challenged with shaping long sustained phrases and finding suitable places to breathe. A variety of keys areas are explored, which is a great workout for an advanced high school or college student learning C Trumpet.

The final movement is quite fast in tempo and requires aggressive same-note double tonguing. Endurance is also a factor. The ultimate result is a really exciting concert piece.

Reviewer's note: I have a college student currently working on Centennial Horizon. She heard it on a recent concert by Dr. Peter Wood and ordered the score from McKee's website. New to the C Trumpet, she has really enjoyed working on the composition as part of her senior recital. She compares the difficulty and energy of the piece to sections of the Ewazen Sonata.