Ovations was commissioned by and dedicated to Band Director, James Martini and the East Stroudsburg High School Band, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania for their sixtieth year anniversary.

When I conceived the original idea for the piece, I was motivated by the long history of this nationally recognized band program. I had visions of performances throughout the past sixty years - performances filled with wonderful music and appreciative audiences. This led to the title for the work, Ovations, which refers to the sixty years of ovations received by the East Stroudsburg High School Band at the Annual Spring Band Concert. In a way, this piece also serves as an ovation itself for the many students who have proudly performed with the band over the years.

The piece is structured in a rough sonata allegro form, with a slow introduction that features the percussion and two trombone soloists. The first theme brings a faster tempo and a fanfare-like quality that gives way to a lyrical second theme. The development also serves as a middle section to the work before a recapitulation brings back the opening material.

Ovations was the 1995 winner of the Claude T. Smith Memorial Band Composition Contest.