Philip Sparke

Philip Sparke is a British composer. Born in 1951 in London, he studied composition, trumpet and piano at the Royal College of Music.

Sparke writes for brass band and wind band. A growing interest in his music led to many commissions (compositional assignments from e.g. orchestras and musical organisations) and many of his compositions serve as test pieces at various contests. He has written for brass band championships in New Zealand, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia and the UK. His piece Dance Movements, commissioned by the US Air Force band in 1996, won the 1997 Sudler Prize. Many of his pieces have been adapted into marching performances; including the 1997 production from The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, the 1998 production from The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, and the 2003 production from the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. His latest piece, Music for Battle Creek, was commissioned by the Brass Band of Battle Creek in America and was selected for the British Brass Band National Finals Championship Section Contest in October 2007, held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It was given it's world premiere at 10 a.m. on Saturday 20th October by the Hepworth Band, the contest eventually being won by the Grimethorpe Colliery Band, with their solo euphonium player Michael Dodd winning the solo award. Sparke also composed the test piece 'Dances and Alleluias' for the inaugral English Nationals contest, which took place at the Lowry in Salford in July 2006.

In addition to his ensemble writing, Sparke has also contributed greatly to the solo repertoire of brass band instruments. Of particular note are his two euphonium concerti and his 'Rhapsody for Bb Baritone', pieces that have done much for the repertoire of the instruments concerned.

Sparke is active in many countries as guest-director or contest adjucator.

External links

• Philip Sparke's official website