East Coast Pictures was commissioned by the British Youth Wind Orchestra with funds from the National Westminster Bank plc. These three short ‚pictures' were inspired by several visits to a small part of the American East Coast, an area that provides great extremes in the geography and the people.
Movement 1: Shelter Island is a small island situated near the end of Long Island, a few hours drive east of New York. In the summer it becomes a crowded tourist trap, but in the winter it is gloriously deserted and bravely faces the onslaught of the turbulent Atlantic, shrouded in sea mists and driving rain. This ‚picture' is a fond memory of a winter weekend on Shelter Island.
Movement 2: In upstate New York lie the Catskills Mountains-an extraordinary combination of tranquillity and power, peace and majesty. Once seen, they call you back again and again.
Movement 3: New York - or to be more precise, Manhattan. For anyone who is familiar with this bizarre and wonderful city, here i s a ‚picture' that needs no explanation. For those not yet hooked this is a foretaste of things to come!