_______________ Music Department

Name ________________________________ Form __________ Date ____________

Composing a Fanfare

A fanfare is a call or flourish played on a trumpet

and/or other brass instruments. A fanfare signals the
arrival of an important person. Some fanfares are
used to introduce a ceremony or event. Simple
fanfares use the notes of a chord. They suit brass
instruments because, without valves, brass players
can produce the notes of a chord just by changing
their lip pressure.

You will need:

The notes of the chord of C major; the triad of C, but you can use them at high or low pitches.
Make sure you KNOW which ones you mean. [Note to teachers: Read FILE / PROPERTIES /
COMMENTS then delete this red text]

You will also need some striking rhythms. You might use words to remember them like ones
shown.

Using the notes of the chord you have chosen, pick a FEW of the rhythms above and
compose a fanfare with two phrases. Write it as shown.

EXAMPLE

C C E G c G c G c e c
Shi- ny hel- met sharp sword shi- ny hel- met door

e e e c G E G c c c G E C
come to the cook- house door boys come to the cook- house door
Here is the fanfare again, written as music.

Write your fanfare here. Each ‘line’ equals two bars. You need eight bars in all, if possible!
Put each syllable in a separate box. Start a new bar in the correct place even if you leave
empty boxes.

Notes
Line 1
Syllables

Notes
Line 2
Syllables

Notes
Line 3
Syllables

Notes
Line 4
Syllables

Write your fanfare on these staves. Here are the notes of the C triad or chord. Be very
careful about the high and low pitched you have chosen.