Dr. K. Dawn Grapes, associate professor of Music History in the School of Music, Theatre, and Dance, was invited to present a paper at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Gordon Jacob's "William Byrd Suite."

According to windrep.org, Jacob’s William Byrd Suite is one of 400 pieces completed by the prolific composer. It was composed in 1923 to honor the 300th anniversary of Byrd’s death (c.1623). A pupil of Thomas Tallis, William Byrd excelled at writing secular and sacred polyphonic choral and keyboard music in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Jacob chose six pieces to honor Byrd. Originally scored for orchestra, Jacob was asked by conductor Adrian Boult to score the work for massed military bands at the British Empire Exhibition in Wembley Stadium on May 29, 1924.

- Program Note from The Ohio State University Symphonic Band concert program, 6 October 2016