American composer Eric Whitacre didn't begin studying music until he was 18, and went on to earn his Master of Music degree at Juilliard School of Music. He quickly became a popular composer, conductor and lecturer, and many of his works have entered the standard choral and instrumental repertories. October was commissioned by a consortium of Nebraska bands and was premiered in May of 2000. It is dedicated to Brian Anderson, who arranged the commission. In this work, the composer sought to compose music that was simple yet elegant, "because there isn't enough lush, beautiful music for winds." --James Huff 06:29, 21 July 2008 (UTC) (from the program notes of The Claremont Winds, submitted with permission)