Flashpoint is a work of tension and velocity, designed to evoke the moment just before everything changes — the instant a spark ignites, a storm breaks, or a hero takes action.

The piece opens with a slow, ominous introduction: fanfare-like trumpet statements built on open fifths resonate over a piano texture that pulses with quiet anticipation. Set in C minor, the atmosphere is cinematic and shadowed, reflecting pressure building beneath the surface.

After a brief moment of slow, smoldering tension, the music bursts forward. Driving rhythms, bold harmonic shifts, and sweeping lines propel the listener through a whirlwind of motion and energy. Yet even in its velocity, Flashpoint maintains a lyrical core - a reminder that this ignition is not only forceful, but purposeful.

Commissioned by and written for Dr. Julia Bell, Flashpoint was created as an accessible younger spiritual sibling to Kevin McKee’s Centennial Horizon, playable on Bb trumpet - combining expressive color, heroic writing, and epic storytelling designed to excite both listener and performer.