Philip sparke composer biography for kids

Philip Sparke was born in London and studied composition, trumpet and piano at the Royal College of Music, where he gained an ARCM.

It was at the College that his interest in bands arose.

He played in the College wind orchestra and also formed a brass band among the students, writing several works for both ensembles. 

At that time, his first published works appeared - Concert Prelude (brass band) and Gaudium (wind band).

A growing interest in his music led to several commissions, his first major one being for the Centennial Brass Band Championships in New Zealand – The Land of the Long White Cloud.

Further commissions followed from individual bands, various band associations and the BBC, for whom he three times won the EBU New Music for Band Competition (with Slipstream, Skyrider and Orient Express).

He has written for brass band championships in New Zealand, Switzerland, Holland, Australia and the UK, incl