A New Arrangement of Taps: Composer Julie Giroux’s Patriotic Tribute to Generations of Service

When award-winning composer Julie Giroux sits down to write music, she thinks about people – their stories, their sacrifices, and the emotions that connect us. For Julie, those ties run especially deep. She comes from a long line of proud service members whose dedication shaped her earliest understanding of patriotism.

“My father served in the Air Force. All eight of my uncles served. My mom’s oldest brother was a Flying Tiger. My great-grandfather fought in World War II,” Julie shared. “Service has always been woven into our family.”

That heritage, combined with her decades of experience writing for top military ensembles, inspired one of her proudest projects: a symphonic arrangement of Taps that allows every musician to participate in honoring those who served. This tribute also supports veterans through Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP), giving artists a way to honor service with both heart and action.

How Julie Giroux Is Evolving the Tradition of Taps

For most Americans, Taps is instantly familiar – a solitary trumpet, a quiet farewell, a symbol of sacrifice. But Julie saw something more.

“Taps has evolved so much over the last century,” she explained. “Originally, it was simply the call to go to bed, to turn the lights off. Over time, it became a powerful symbol of permanently ‘turning off the lights’ for someone who served.”

As a composer for military bands, including the U.S. Army’s renowned Pershing’s Own and the President’s Own, Julie knows the traditions behind the music. She also knows something civilians rarely consider: Most musicians don’t get to play Taps. Only a single trumpet or bugle traditionally performs it, leaving the rest of the ensemble silent.

“So many musicians want to be part of that moment,” she said. “Everyone wants the chance to say, ‘thank you for your service’ through their own instruments.”

Her arrangement invites them in. Featuring more trumpets and wind instruments, it transforms Taps from a solitary farewell into a collective expression of gratitude. Julie believes it should be performed at Memorial Day ceremonies, Veterans Day events, Fourth of July celebrations, concerts, and community gatherings throughout the year.

“It becomes music you can experience,” Julie said. “Not just a signal played at a graveside, but a reminder all year long that we remember, and we will never forget.”

Giving Back Through Music: How Julie Helps Support WWP’s Promise to Veterans

Julie’s Taps rendition is free of charge to anyone who makes a donation to WWP.

“I have friends who’ve been helped by Wounded Warrior Project,” she said. “Anytime you spend time with military families, Wounded Warrior Project comes up. Whether it’s mental health, physical needs, or support for families. If you're going to give money to help veterans, that’s the organization that comes to mind.”

Her fundraiser allows musicians across the country to both perform her arrangement and make a tangible impact on the lives of warriors recovering from visible and invisible wounds.

Learn how to create your own fundraiser like Julie and support those who served.

“If you’re not serving, you still want to contribute,” she said. “Playing this piece allows musicians to honor veterans and change somebody’s life.”

Continuing a Legacy of Remembrance

Building on her lifelong connection to military service, Julie continues to create music that honors the people who shaped her and the nation they helped protect. She is now composing a major work commissioned for America’s upcoming 250th anniversary.

“When I think of the military, the first word that ever comes to mind is sacrifice,” she said. “Not just the ultimate sacrifice, though that is deeply honored, but the everyday sacrifice. Being told where to be. Missing milestones. Separating from your family. Giving your time, your energy, your well-being. Military life embodies loyalty, courage, and selflessness.”

For Julie, this project is personal. The stories of her father, uncles, great-grandfather, and relatives who fought for our freedom live on in her work. “I knew music was my path, and that I could honor service in the way I do best,” she recalled.

With Sacrifice, she hopes to help Americans, especially young people, connect not just with the history of traditions like Taps, but with the men and women behind them. “A song has power. It tells a story. It captures emotion,” she said. “My goal is for listeners to feel their patriotism, to feel proud. It’s a way to honor service with the full emotion it deserves.”

Julie’s work mirrors a commitment shared by WWP – ensuring that those who served receive the care and support they deserve, today and always. Together, we help create a harmony of healing and hope, reminding us that service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off. It lives on in every note, every act of support, and every promise to help warriors thrive for generations to come.

Discover how you, like Julie, can support the next 250 years of strength, resilience, and service.

Contact: — Gracie Scribner, Public Relations, gscribner@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.489.5295

About Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project is our nation’s leading veteran services organization, focused on the total well-being of post-9/11 wounded, ill, or injured veterans. Our programs, advocacy, and awareness efforts help warriors thrive, provide essential lifelines to families and caregivers, and prevent veteran suicides. Learn more about Wounded Warrior Project.