Philip Sparke

Phillip Sparke
Philip Sparke (1991)
Born
Phillip Allen Sparke

(1951-12-29) 29 December 1951 (age 72)
London, England
Occupation(s)Composer, musician
Years active1973–present

Philip Allen Sparke (born 29 December 1951) is an English composer and musician born in London,[1] noted for his concert band and brass band music.[2] His early major works include The Land of the Long White Cloud – "Aotearoa", written for the 1980 Centennial New Zealand Brass Band championship.[3] He subsequently went on to win the EBU New Music for Band Competition three times, including in 1986 with a commission from the BBC called Orient Express.[4]

Since May 2000, his music has been published under his own label Anglo Music Press, and distributed by Hal Leonard.

Notable achievements

  • 1997 Sudler Prize - Dance Movements[5]
  • 2000 Iles Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians - Services to brass bands[6]
  • 2005 National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest - Music of the Spheres[7]
  • 2011 BUMA International Brass Award - Contributions to brass music[8]
  • 2016 National Band Association/William D. Revelli Memorial Band Composition Contest - A Colour Symphony
  • 2018 International Award - Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic

Works

Music for Wind Band and Brass Band

National Championships of Great Britain test pieces

A number of Philip Sparke's compositions have been chosen as test pieces in the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain. His pieces have been selected for various sections, both at the area contests and the national finals.

Year Piece Section R/N Winning Band(s) Ref
1985 A Malvern Suite 4th R Horsham Borough (L&SC)
South Leicester and Desford B (Mids N)
Amington (Mids S)
Lanchester (NoE)
Llanrug & District (NW)
Irvine Youth (Sco)
Abertillery & District Youth (Wal)
Royal British Legion Crownhill (Plymouth) (WoE)
Hambleton Brass (Yorks)		 [10]
[11]
[12]
[13]
[14]
[15]
[16]
[17]
[18]
1987 Harmony Music Ch N Desford Colliery Dowty [19]
1990 Music for a Festival 3rd N Blidworth Welfare [20]
1991 Triptych 3rd R Wantage Silver A (L&SC)
Ifton Welfare (Mids)
Langbaurgh (NoE)
Flixton MCR (NW)
Kelty & Blairadam Brass (Sco)
Deiniolen (Wal N)
British Steel (Port Talbot) (Wal S)
Stinchcombe (WoE)
Aceprint Gawthorpe Victoria (Yorks)		 [21]
[22]
[23]
[24]
[25]
[26]
[27]
[28]
[29]
1992 A London Overture 1st N British Telecom [30]
1993 A Celtic Suite 3rd N Skelmanthorpe [31]
1994 Partita Ch R Regent Brass (L&SC)
William Davis Construction Group (Mids)
Ever Ready (NoE)
BNFL Leyland Band (NW)
CWS (Glasgow) (Sco)
Cory (Wal)
Flowers Band (WoE)
Yorkshire Building Society Hammonds (Yorks)		 [32]
[33]
[34]
[35]
[36]
[37]
[38]
[39]
1995 The Land of the Long White Cloud "Aotearoa" 1st R City of Cambridge (L&SC)
Rolls-Royce (Mids)
EYMS Band (NoE)
United Northwest Co-operative (Rochdale) (NW)
Bon Accord Silver (Sco)
Beaumaris (Wal)
Swindon Pegasus Brass (WoE)
Stocksbridge Engineering Steels (Yorks)		 [40]
[41]
[42]
[43]
[44]
[45]
[46]
[47]
1996 A Malvern Suite 4th N Manx Concert [48]
1998 Between the Moon and Mexico Ch N Brighouse & Rastrick [49]
1998 Three Miniatures 3rd N Oldham Brass 97 [50]
2000 Variations on an Enigma Ch R Aveley & Newham (L&SC)
Desford Colliery (Mids)
Ever Ready (NoE)
Fodens Courtois (NW)
CWS (Glasgow) (Sco)
Buy As You View Cory (Wal)
Flowers (WoE)
Yorkshire Building Society (Yorks)		 [51]
[52]
[53]
[54]
[55]
[56]
[57]
[58]
2001 Diversions – Variations on a Swiss Folk Song "Der Heimetvogel" 2nd N Ammanford Town [59]
2004 Kaleidoscope – Five Variations on the "Brugg Song" 2nd R Becontree Brass (L&SC)
Hathern (Mids)
Ellington Colliery (NoE)
Old Hall Brass (NW)
Barrhead Burgh (Sco)
Llanrug (Wal)
Otterbourne Brass (WoE)
Yorkshire Building Society Concert (Yorks)		 [60]
[61]
[62]
[63]
[64]
[65]
[66]
[67]
2004 The Four Noble Truths 4th N Potters Bar [68]
2006 Valerius Variations 4th N Dodworth Colliery M.W. [69]
2007 Music for Battle Creek Ch N Grimethorpe Colliery [70]
2008 The Saga of Haakon the Good 1st N Seindorf Beaumaris [71]
2010 Symphonic Metamorphosis on Themes from Saint-Saëns' 3rd Symphony 4th R Battle Town (L&SC)
Shipston Town (Mids)
Stape Silver (NoE)
Hazel Grove (NW)
Dumfries Town (Sco)
Crwbin (Wal)
Test Valley Brass (WoE)
Worsbrough Brass (Yorks)		 [72]
[73]
[74]
[75]
[76]
[77]
[78]
[79]
2011 Portrait of a City 2nd N Brunel Brass [80]
2013 Harmony Music Ch R Regent Brass (L&SC)
Jaguar Land Rover (Mids)
NASUWT Riverside (NoE)
Leyland (NW)
Whitburn (Sco)
Tongwynlais Temperance (Wal)
Flowers (WoE)
Carlton Main Frickley Colliery (Yorks)		 [81]
[82]
[83]
[84]
[85]
[86]
[87]
[88]
2013 A Malvern Suite 4th N Ebbw Valley Brass [89]
2017 The Land of the Long White Cloud "Aotearoa" 1st R TBD
2020 A Tale As Yet Untold Ch R N/A (L&SC)
GUS (Mids)
NASUWT Riverside (NoE)
Fodens (NW)
The Cooperation Band (Sco)
Tredegar (Wal)
Camborne Town (WoE)
Black Dyke (Yorks) 		[90][91][92][93][94][95][96][97]

References

  1. ^ "Biography". Philip Sparke. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Hal Leonard Online". Halleonard.com. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  3. ^ Newsome, Roy (1 January 2006). The Modern Brass Band: From the 1930s to the New Millennium. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN 9780754607175.
  4. ^ "Orient Express (Philip Sparke)". Fanfare De Vooruitgang Stiphout. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Awards - Wind Repertory Project". Windrep.org. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  6. ^ "IBEW - The Internet Bandsman's Everything Within". Ibew.org.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  7. ^ "Music of the Spheres wins major US award". theMouthPiece.com Brass Band Forum. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Sparke to receive BUMA Award". 4barsrest. 24 August 2011. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  9. ^ "Wind Sketches". Philipsparke.com. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  10. ^ "London and Southern Counties (Fourth Section) - 3rd Mar 1985 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Midlands (North) Area (Fourth Section) - 20th Apr 1985 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Midlands (South) Area (Fourth Section) - 2nd Mar 1985 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  14. ^ "North West Area (Fourth Section) - 24th Mar 1985 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  19. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Championship Section Final) - 3rd Oct 1987 - Brass Band Results". Brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  20. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Third Section Final) - 6th Oct 1990 - Brass Band Results". Brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  21. ^ "London and Southern Counties (Third Section) - 2nd Mar 1991 - Brass Band Results". Brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  26. ^ "North Wales Area (Third Section) - 17th Mar 1991 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  28. ^ "West of England Area (Third Section) - 20th Apr 1991 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  29. ^ "Yorkshire Area (Third Section) - 24th Feb 1991 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  30. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (First Section Final) - 4th Oct 1992 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  31. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Third Section Final) - 18th Sep 1993 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  32. ^ "London and Southern Counties (Championship Section) - 13th Mar 1994 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  33. ^ "Midlands Area (Championship Section) - 5th Mar 1994 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  45. ^ "Welsh Area (First Section) - 22nd Apr 1995 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  46. ^ "West of England Area (First Section) - 25th Mar 1995 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  47. ^ "Yorkshire Area (First Section) - 19th Mar 1995 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  48. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Fourth Section Final) - 21st Sep 1996 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  49. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Championship Section Final) - 17th Oct 1998 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  50. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Third Section Final) - 19th Sep 1998 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  51. ^ "London and Southern Counties (Championship Section) - 19th Mar 2000 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  52. ^ "Midlands Area (Championship Section) - 5th Mar 2000 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  53. ^ "North of England Area (Championship Section) - 19th Mar 2000 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  55. ^ "Scottish Championship (Championship Section) - 19th Mar 2000 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  56. ^ "Welsh Area (Championship Section) - 19th Mar 2000 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  57. ^ "West of England Area (Championship Section) - 26th Mar 2000 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  58. ^ "Yorkshire Area (Championship Section) - 5th Mar 2000 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  59. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Second Section Final) - 22nd Sep 2001 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  60. ^ "London and Southern Counties (Second Section) - 20th Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  61. ^ "Midlands Area (Second Section) - 13th Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  62. ^ "North of England Area (Second Section) - 21st Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  63. ^ "North West Area (Second Section) - 14th Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  64. ^ "Scottish Championship (Second Section) - 13th Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  65. ^ "Welsh Area (Second Section) - 13th Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  66. ^ "West of England Area (Second Section) - 27th Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  67. ^ "Yorkshire Area (Second Section) - 6th Mar 2004 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  69. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Fourth Section Final) - 24th Sep 2006 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  70. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (Championship Section Final) - 20th Oct 2007 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  71. ^ "National Championship of Great Britain (First Section Final) - 28th Sep 2008 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  72. ^ "London and Southern Counties (Fourth Section) - 20th Mar 2010 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  73. ^ "Midlands Area (Fourth Section) - 14th Mar 2010 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  75. ^ "North West Area (Fourth Section) - 14th Mar 2010 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  78. ^ "West of England Area (Fourth Section) - 13th Mar 2010 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  79. ^ "Yorkshire Area (Fourth Section) - 7th Mar 2010 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  82. ^ "Midlands Area (Championship Section) - 10th Mar 2013 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  88. ^ "Yorkshire Area (Championship Section) - 3rd Mar 2013 - Brass Band Results". Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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  90. ^ "London and Southern Counties (Championship Section) - 22nd Mar 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  91. ^ "Midlands Area (Championship Section) - 8th Mar 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  92. ^ "North of England Area (Championship Section) - 15th Mar 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  93. ^ "North West Area (Championship Section) - 23rd Feb 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  94. ^ "Scottish Championship (Championship Section) - 8th Mar 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  95. ^ "Welsh Area (Championship Section) - 1st Mar 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  96. ^ "West of England Area (Championship Section) - 15th Mar 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  97. ^ "Yorkshire Area (Championship Section) - 8th Mar 2020 - Brass Band Results". brassbandresults.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2022.