Scroll to the bottom of the page to hear the University of Southern Mississippi Trombone Choir perform this work.

Obsidian Inferno is the latest trombone ensemble work from Trenton Rhodes and won 2^nd prize at the 2023 University of Southern Mississippi Trombone Day Call for Scores. In his program notes, Rhodes explains that Inferno represents the outer A sections, which are light-hearted and very diatonic, but fairly fast and very difficult to put together – it sounds as if each player was “setting their hair on fire.” Obsidian represents the B section, which is much more somber, ominous, and dark in nature. This work is written for 6 trombones (1 alto, 3 tenor, and 2 bass).

Length: 5 minutes

Range: Alto part frequently goes up to C5 and has a couple of D5’s and F5’s. Highest tenor part goes up to A4 several times and Bb4 once. Lowest bass part goes down to C2 frequently and has some pedal Bb’s and Ab’s.