Dialogues is a new multi-movement suite for trumpet and orchestra that explores the intersection of two rich musical traditions: the vibrant rhythms and heritage of Brazil and Venezuela. Created by composer Clarice Assad and acclaimed trumpeter Pacho Flores, the work brings together two artists whose musical identities are deeply rooted in their cultures while shaped by a shared commitment to classical artistry, virtuosity, and expressive storytelling.

Each movement serves as a musical conversation—exploring lyrical, percussive, playful, and deeply emotional landscapes where tradition and innovation meet. Drawing from themes created by both Assad and Flores, Dialogues celebrates the ways distinct voices can come together to create something entirely new.

At its core, the work reflects a shared belief that technical brilliance is most powerful when it serves genuine expression. Through Assad’s inventive compositional voice and Flores’ extraordinary musicianship and magnetic stage presence, Dialogues invites audiences into a dynamic exchange between heritage, imagination, and human connection.

Duration: 20-24 minutes

The Story Behind the Collaboration

The inspiration for Dialogues began with an unforgettable first encounter between Clarice Assad and Pacho Flores at the Grant Park Music Festival. After hearing Flores perform, Assad recalls being so captivated that she nearly joined him onstage during the encore.

That same evening, the Grant Park Orchestra performed Assad’s Baião N Blues, a work that blends Latin influences with North American musical traditions. Following the performance, conductor Giancarlo Guerrero turned to Assad and Flores and encouraged them to collaborate, declaring: “Clarice and Pacho, you must work together.”

The connection was immediate. Though their musical journeys were shaped on opposite ends of Latin America—Assad through her Brazilian heritage and Flores through his Venezuelan roots—they discovered a shared artistic language: one grounded in rigorous classical training, cultural identity, and a belief that music should be both carefully crafted and deeply alive.

Dialogues is the result of that artistic meeting point—a celebration of two voices finding common ground and creating a new musical landscape together.