Fanfare for Billy-It is a tradition at Marlow High School Oklahoma that the band members’ parents host a Band Banquet every May at which the senior members of the band present a gift to the band director as a token of gratitude for his year’s work. In 2009 clarinet player Brenna Hensley had the idea to commission a new piece from composer Philip Sparke to present to band director Billy Daniel which would be played at the Spring Concert later that month. Salute to a Hero was the result.The piece opens with a decorated fanfare played on cornets and trombones and after a short bridge passage this reappears played by the full band. A central lyrical section brings a mood of calm utilisingdifferent brass colours before the fanfare returns to close the work.
