About Charles Lazarus:

Trumpeter Charles Lazarus is a member of the Minnesota Orchestra and a multi-faceted musician who has charted a unique course as performer, composer, producer and band leader. 

His career has included tenures in Dallas Brass, Meridian Arts Ensemble, and Canadian Brass. He has created and produced several crossover orchestral programs featuring his various ensembles with which he has released six recordings. The Minnesota Orchestra’s live video recording of Steve Heitzeg’s “American Nomad” concerto and a children’s animated short film collaboration with author Michael Hall “Perfect Square” are also among his many collaborations.

Lazarus has appeared as a soloist with numerous orchestras around the US and Canada, performed with the Empire Brass, New York Philharmonic Principal Brass, London Brass, Barry White, and opened for Tony Bennett. In demand as a clinician and teacher, he has performed and taught master classes in every US state, Canada, Brazil, Cuba, South Africa and throughout Asia and Europe.

Melanie Smiles is a piece for solo trumpet and big band. The written part of the trumpet solo part stays below concert G on top of the staff, but the soloist is free to hit whatever heights they’d like during the improvised sections.

Take a look at some sample pages to the left and then click above for an immediate PDF download of the score and parts.