A May-Day Overture
Haydn Wood was raised on the Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Rngland. He attended the Royal College of Music at age 15 where he excelled in violin, piano and composition. Wood became a multi-talented professional as well as a well-known violinist, a successful composer of light and classical music, and a conductor of his own works. The BBC, who commissioned some of his compositions and for whom he conducted many concerts of his works, often broadcast his music. In the band world, Wood is best known for his composition, Mannin Veen. A May-Day Overture reflects the Isle of Man's many May-Day traditions: however, Woodsubmitted the piece to Boosey & Hawkes in July of 1916 with two tentative titles: A Rustic Overture and A May-Day Overture.