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Philip Sparke
Biography
Philip Sparke was born in London and studied composition, trumpet and piano at the Royal College of Music, where he gained an ARCM.
It was at the College that his interest in bands arose. He played in the College wind orchestra and also formed a brass band among the students, writing several works for both ensembles.
At that time, his first published works appeared - Concert Prelude (brass band) and Gaudium (wind band). A growing interest in his music led to several commissions, his first major one being for the Centennial Brass Band Championships in New Zealand – The Land of the Long White Cloud.
Further commissions followed from individual bands, various band associations and the BBC, for whom he three times won the EBU New Music for Band Competition (with Slipstream, Skyrider and Orient Express). He has written for brass band championships in New Zealand, Switzerland, Holland, Australia and the UK, including three times for the National Finals at the Royal Albert Hall, and his test pieces are constantly in use wherever brass bands can be found.
A close association with banding in Japan led to a commission (Celebration) from and eventual recording of his music with the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. This opened the door worldwide to his wind band music and led to several commissions, particularly from the United States. In 1996 the US Air Force Band commissioned and recorded Dance Movements, which won the prestigious Sudler Prize in 1997. In 2005 Music of the Spheres won the National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest.
His conducting and adjudicating activities have taken him to most European countries, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the USA. He runs his own publishing company, Anglo Music Press, which he formed in May 2000. In September 2000 he was awarded the Iles Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his services to brass bands.
Works for Winds
- Atlantic Odyssey (2010)
- Ballad for Benny
- Bandwagon
- Barn Dance and Cowboy Hymn
- Between the Two Rivers
- Big Sky Overture
- Cambridge Intrada
- Camelot Chronicles, The
- Carnival
- Carol of the Shepherds
- Celebration
- Centurion, The (Concert March)
- Chorale and Variations
- Clarinet Calypso
- Colorado Springs
- Concert Prelude
- Concerto for Clarinet
- Dance Movements
- Diversions - Variations on a Swiss Folk Song
- Earth, Water, Sun, Wind
- An English Sea Song Suite
- Euphonium Concerto No. 2
- Fanfare for Saint Cecilia
- Fanfare, Romance and Finale
- Fantasy for Euphonium
- Festive Tribute, A (J.S. Bach)
- Fiesta!
- Fiesta de la Vida
- Five Festive Fanfares
- Flying the Breeze
- Four Norfolk Dances
- Harlequin
- Hanover Festival
- Huntingdon Celebration
- Infinity and Beyond...
- Invictus
- Jubilee Overture
- Land of the Long White Cloud, The
- Masquerade
- Music of the Spheres
- Navigation Inn
- Orient Express
- Out of the Darkness, Into the Light
- Pioneers, The (2005)
- Sierra Nevada
- Sinfonietta No. 1
- Sinfonietta No. 2
- Suite from Hymn of the Highlands
- Sunrise at Angel's Gate
- Tameside Overture
- To a New Dawn
- Wilten Festival Overture
- Year of the Dragon (1985)
References
- Philip Sparke - Official Website
- Camphouse, Mark, editor. (2004) Composers on Composing for Band. Volume 2. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 225–252.
- McCutchen, Mathew G. (2009) An Examination of the History and Winning Pieces of the National Band Association's Composition Contest: 1977-2008. Florida State University, Doctoral Dissertation.
