This scintillating arrangement by the American Mark Freeh of the Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein classic Showboat is a classic in the brass band repertoire. This ‘up tempo’ big band arrangement is a perfect opener or closer to any programme and is also a fantastic way to showcase your drummer. Definitely one not to be missed!

Utopia is the name of a book written by the English author Thomas More and was published in 1516. The title is a word thought up by More himself after the Greek language meaning 'Nowhereland' and leading to the invention of the words utopian scheme and utopian. Utopia pictured an ideal state on an island far from the inhabited world. This idea was the basis of the composition. It makes one think of Oregon in variety of themes and style. Utopia also exists of a combination of styles that breathe the atmosphere of film music. However Utopia sounds less American. The slow and stirring middle part for example is closer to the European romanticism: the chord signals in the brasssection remind of Wagner's music.

This work was commissioned in memory of Peter J. Swanson a trumpet and cornet player who tragically died at the tender age of fourteen. Peter’s favorite gospel song Just a Closer Walk with Thee has been used as the basis for this piece of contrasts which takes the listener through many styles and moods. The spiritual character of the original song resounds gloriously in When Time Will Be No More.

Concerto for Brass Band-Perihelion was commissioned by the Cory Band as their own-choice piece for the 2013 European Brass Band Championships held in Oslo Norway. Winning the set piece section of the contest and coming second to Eikanger-Bjorsvik Musikklag with their own choice selection Cory went on to become European Champions for the fifth time.Cory MD Philip Harper had asked for a ‘Concerto for Band’ to fully exploit his outstanding band of virtuosi and composer Philip Sparke created a one-movement work with contiguous sections first featuring horns and flugel then trombones followed by cornets and a slower central section for percussion and baritones euphonium andbasses.The piece is abstract in nature without a specific programme and the title merely reflects the fact that the piece was begun on January 2nd 2013 the day of Earth’s perihelion - the point in its orbit when it is closest to the sun. It could also be argued that the piece weaves between moments of brilliant optimism and dark shadow both of which can be the result of bright sunshine.