From Facebook Snub to Fanfare Success
Sometimes, inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. In 2016, I saw a post on Facebook about a fanfare competition for the London Mozart Players’ Queen and Country concert. The post tagged plenty of trumpet players—but not me. That small moment of exclusion stuck with me, and rather than dwelling on it, I decided to prove myself. If others could give it a go, so could I.
Teaching Myself Finale (The Hard Way!)
Up until that point, I had only ever composed on paper, but I knew I needed to step up my game. I downloaded Finale (the free version) and set about teaching myself how to use it. My first attempt at composing the fanfare? Not great. So, I went back to researching, thinking, and refining my approach.
My second attempt was much better—but I made the classic rookie mistake of not saving my work. After a deep breath (and maybe a few choice words), I started again. This third attempt would be the one I submitted—and the one that won.
Crafting the Perfect Fanfare
The competition had clear guidelines:
- It had to include The Last Post.
- It needed to be both lively and thoughtful—a fitting tribute to the Queen.
During my research, I decided to compose using only non-valve notes. This meant the fanfare could be played on traditional fanfare trumpets as well as modern ones. Sticking to these limitations made the piece feel more authentic, tying into the long-standing military and ceremonial traditions of brass music.
Hearing It Performed
Winning the competition was an incredible moment, but hearing my fanfare performed was even better. It was a personal victory—not just in the competition, but in proving to myself (and maybe a few others!) that I was a composer worth noticing.
Final Thoughts
Music is full of gatekeeping, but in the end, your work speaks for itself. That Facebook post may have started as a reminder of where I wasn’t included, but it led to one of my proudest achievements.
Have you ever turned a frustrating moment into motivation? Let me know in the comments! And if you’re looking for original trumpet fanfares, check out my compositions here.