Robert W. Parker was named the inaugural recipient of the Robert J. Flanagan Yale Bands Commissioning Endowment, a fund directed to the commissioning and premiering of music for concert band to ensure that the Yale Band’s exemplary and long-standing tradition of commissioning the worlds’ greatest composers will remain an active and important part of the program in perpetuity.

On April 4th, his composition, Sicut Incipiat ("Thus, let it begin"), was premiered by the Yale Concert Band, accompanied by Yale's mighty Newberry Memorial Organ, under the baton of Dr. Thomas C. Duffy. The march was commissioned to become part of the repertoire performed at Yale's annual commencement exercises, and will be next heard at this year's (Yale's 307th) commencement in May.

Hear a recording of the premiere performance.

The American Chronicle features an article describing both the commision and the composition.

The Strife is Over, a new setting and translation of the traditional Easter text, premieres at Oneonta Congregational Church in South Pasadena, California.