Fanfare 《sempre in avanti》 for Orchestra (2025)

for Orchestra

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Commissioned by Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra

Premiered on 18th September 2025 at Lotte Concert Hall, Seoul, South Korea

by Sunwook Kim and Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra

Sempre in avanti is Italian for “always forward,” and it captures the spirit that runs through this short yet powerful 2–3 minute fanfare.

The music begins in a state of tension. From there, quick and lively figures drive a constant upward motion, as the main materials—triads and scales—shift and transform without pause. As the instrumental groups trade gestures and the momentum builds, the long-awaited fanfare arrives: the bright, exhilarating energy of the brass spreads outward in a clear burst of sound. The piece then surges forward once more with greater intensity, pressing on even further before coming to a buoyant, spirited close.

True to the phrase Sempre in avanti, this work is less concerned with victory, arrival, or a final destination than with the act of moving forward without stopping. My hope is that it can be music that shares courage and energy—the will to challenge, again and again, and to keep going.