Sunset at Quantico Reber Clark

Maestro Band Series

PROGRAM NOTES
Sunset at Quantico was commissioned by The Bishop Ireton Symphonic Wind Ensemble of Alexandria, VA, Dr. Randall Eyles, Director. Quantico, VA is not only a marine military base and the location of the F.B.I. Academy, but it is also a national cemetery. Sunset at Quantico is an attempt to present my impressions of my father's military funeral there. There is no political statement here. The work hopefully renders the soldier's point of view.

Aside from the original material (typified in the optional Chorale Prelude), the traditional military drum dirge (used as the deceased veteran's casket moves from chapel to graveside) is included in this work, as is the bugle call Taps. As far as the origin of Taps is concerned there are many legends, lyrics, and opinions on the matter. I found the most thorough investigation and record of information on Taps to be by Jari A. Villanueva on the website www.west-point.org.

- Reber Clark

ABOUT THE COMPOSER
Reber Clark was born in 1955 in Des Moines, Iowa. He attained a B.A. Degree in Music Education under the direction of Gene Witherspoon, and studied composition under James Perry while attending Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas. Reber taught in the public schools for several years before leaving that profession to pursue a career as freelance composer, arranger, and performer.

He has fulfilled numerous commissions for college, high school, and middle school bands. Reber has been a speaker at the national ASBDA convention speaking on procedures for commissioning a new work. He has arranged hundreds of talent charts and production numbers for state scholarship pageants, "gridiron," and other variety shows.

His performance experience includes many years on trumpet as a studio musician. He has performed in bands for internationally known performers such as Bob Hope, Mitzi Gaynor, the Four Tops, The Temptations, and others, including a road tour as lead trumpet for the New Sam and Dave Revue.

Website: http://home.comcast.net/~reberclark/main.htm