Stephen Altoft (19-Division Trumpet)

Time Dreaming (2018): Donald Bousted (UK) for 3 19-div trumpets

Gnossienne (2014): Eleri Angharad Pound (UK) for solo 19-division trumpet

Lud’s Church (2020): WP Richard Whalley (UK) for solo 19-division trumpet and multitracks

New Work: James Williamson

Dialogue: Chris Bryan (US/ UK) for 19-div trumpet and computer

Hidden Jewels (2018): Stephen Altoft (UK/ DE) for  multi-tracked 19-div trumpets

RASP  (2013) Stephen Altoft (UK/ DE) for 19-div trumpet 

The Microtonal Trumpet project was a collaboration of over twenty years with the composer Donald Bousted. In the last few years, the project has concentrated on developing new repertoire in 19-division ( 19 equal divisions of the octave ) tuning (on trumpet and flugelhorn), but with a special focus on harmony.

We have been lucky enough to present this project internationally, to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

The current programme of pieces by myself and international composers, brings together microtonal trumpet with electronics, interpretation (of compositions) and improvisation. Most of the pieces are multitrack pieces, addressing harmony in 19 equal divisions of the octave. 

Stephen Altoft is dedicated to the creation of new repertoire for the trumpet. As a solo artist, and with percussionist Lee Ferguson as duo Contour, he has given concerts throughout Asia, Europe, the United States and Canada. For over twenty years he has been researching the microtonal possibilities of the trumpet with composer, Donald Bousted, and has developed a fourth (rotary) valve mechanism to enable the conversion of his existing trumpets into microtonal instruments (a 19-division B flat trumpet and quarter-tone C trumpet). More recently, he has also been developing programmes for flugelhorn in 12-, 19- and 24- divisions of the octave.

Initially coming from Brass Bands, including the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, Stephen studied at the University of Huddersfield (1991-5) where he was awarded a B.Mus Honours (in performance and composition), a Masters degree (in performance) and the Ricordi Prize for Contemporary Performance. This was followed by periods of private study with Markus Stockhausen (Cologne) and, with assistance from the Music Sound Foundation, with the Ensemble Modern trumpeter, William Forman (Berlin).

Stephen is co-director of Microtonal Projects, and Manages the EUROMicroFest. He teaches trumpet and improvisation at the music school in Waldkirch.

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