Smile (Trombone Solo)

DURATION: 4 minutes

DIFFICULTY: Championship

Smile received its premiere at The Sage, Gateshead, on November 17th 2014 by trombone soloist Chris Gomersall and the Grimethorpe Colliery Band conducted by Robert Childs. The piece formed part of their winning Brass in Concert programme entitled ‘Lest We Forget'.

A young Charlie Chaplin starred in his first movie in February 1914, six months after the outbreak of World War I, and by July 1915 Chaplin had become a cultural phenomenon as the great entertainer. He was the film industry's first international star and a particular favourite of the troops. Conceived as the instrumental theme for Chaplin's 1936 comedy Modern Times, the song known to us all as Smile was composed by Chaplin himself. This arrangement features the original version of the song, before breaking into an upbeat big band version of the song, as performed by Michael Buble, featuring an extended jazz break for either Flugel Horn or Cornet.