Commissioned by the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association to commemorate its 75th anniversary Presidential Suite recognizes the rich historical heritage of Virginia particularly as the birthplace of eight United States presidents. Using a suite format the work focuses on three of the founding fathers. The first movement Mount Vernon is a serene musical impression of the home of George Washington. Monticello is the second movement and portrays the stately style of music typical of Thomas Jefferson's time. The suite concludes with Montpelier the home of James Madison and uses bold and majestic motifs to portray the broad and magnificent landscape of Madison'sestate. Dur: c 5:30

Norfolk is one of the most beautiful counties in England famous for its charming villages and boundless broads a popular centre for sailing holidays. It is also the home of one of the best known of all British composers Sir Malcolm Arnold. The date of the premiere of this piece was to fall close to his 80th birthday so Philip Sparke decided to write something of a birthday tribute. Some of Arnold’s best-loved orchestral works are his sets of dances: there are two sets of English Dances Four Scottish Dances Four Cornish Dances etc. most of which have been arranged for concert band at one time or another. Philip Sparke thought it would be appropriate for the concert band tohave its own set of dances and wrote Four Norfolk Dances very much in the style of Arnold’s suites.

Voyage au Centre de la Terre-This composition was based on the world-famous novel by the French author Jules Verne. This novel describes the attempt to reach the centre of the earth. The descent of the crater of the volcano called Snaeffels situated in Iceland marks thebeginning of this voyage to the sublunary world. The German geologist professor Lidenbrock is accompanied on this trip by his nephew Axel and an Icelandic guide named Hans. The last mentioned will be helpful in many occasions. Dark colors & mist The composer tried in this single work to give a musical expression to various significant moments from this novel. In the introduction he sketches an image of the dismal ambience on the island by using dark colors. Risingfragments of mist reveal the flanks of the monumental mountain Scataris. The composer tries to catch this image in a majestic and broad chorale. Away from Iceland Subsequently the ostinato rhythmicity and virtuosity representthe hectic descent of the crater of the volcano. The party descends ever more and more and travels south away from Iceland. On the way they see all kinds of rock formations fossils and minerals. At a depth of thirty hours walking distance atabout 150 kilometers below the surface they reach a sub terrestrial sea which is called the Lidenbrock sea. Genuine eruption of sounds Strange electric manifestations and unpredictable weather conditions accompany thissingular phenomenon. An orchestral tutti-episode expresses this impression musically. On a make-shift raft the party continues its voyage heading to the south coast of this huge sea. Once ashore an enormous rock obstructs the passage. The blowingup of this obstacle unleashes a genuine eruption of sounds in the orchestration. Spat out by the volcano But the explosion has an unforeseen side effect. The sea - travelers and raft included - is sucked upwards into a dark hole.Again our heroes are accompanied on their involuntary voyage while left to fend for themselves by an ever increasing ostinato rhythmicity. Before an irruption can destroy the raft the threesome manages to escape and climb up through acave towards the daylight. They seem to be spat out by the Stromboli volcano on the island of Sicily far from home. The composition ends with triumphant sounds that represent the scientific triumph of these adventurers.