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An Interview with Trombonist Peter Sullivan, Soloist with the McGill Wind Orchestra

Published: 23 January 2017

Blog post by Chris Maskell

Those searching for a quintessential Schulich success story (and a reminder of the benefits of hard work) don’t have to look any further than trombonist Peter Sullivan. His accomplishments read like a list of dream goals for any musician: after completing his graduate studies at McGill, he went on to hold the solo trombone chair in the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal for over a decade and later taught at Schulich as an adjunct professor. Unsurprisingly for a player of his calibre, his reputation quickly spread, and he relocated to the United States in 1999 to play principal trombone with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.

Between all of these accomplishments, Sullivan has never appeared as a guest artist with one of Schulich’s ensembles – until now. On Wednesday, January 25, Sullivan will join the McGill Wind Orchestra as a soloist and play a program that conductor Alain Cazes explains was crafted just for him.

“I had Pete in mind when selecting the repertoire. He was the principal element of this program. I wanted to invite him as an international star and former McGill student, and the best way to underline his presence was to write a concerto for him. Jason Noble has been chosen to write a concerto for trombone.”

“Overall, the concept of the program is based on contrasts and inspiration. One of these contrasts is the presence of the Fantasia & Fugue by Bach (the earliest piece in the program – circa 1720), immediately preceding Jason’s Concerto. As an example of inspiration, we have the Geshwindmarsch by Beethoven, by Hindemith. This piece is a paraphrase on a March by Beethoven.”

As Sullivan will only be arriving in Montreal shortly before the concert, the Wind Orchestra will have just enough time to squeeze in two rehearsals with the soloist. To overcome this challenge and ensure that things go smoothly, Cazes explained that certain works will be prioritized over others.

“There is a lot of repertoire that can be done with only one rehearsal with the soloist, but Noble’s new concerto Bîome is a complex work. It will be a challenge to put together. There will be a lot of interaction with the soloist – some imitations, some blending elements, and not to mention the delicate element of balance. So, we will spend most of our rehearsal time on the Concerto before Pete’s arrival to make sure there are no unforeseen surprises.”

To round out Sullivan’s visit, he’ll also be working with Schulich’s trombone choir, putting on a free masterclass and giving a recital – meaning Montreal audiences and Schulich students will have ample opportunities to hear the master trombonist in person.

Peter Sullivan will perform with the McGill Wind Orchestra on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, at 7:30 p.m in Pollack Hall. Tickets can be purchased here.  

Mr Sullivan will also be giving a free masterclass with trombone students from the Schulich School of Music on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. in Clara Lichtenstein Hall.

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