Chesterfield is an overture in the time-honored A-B-A form, with jubilant outer sections contrasted by a slow-lyrical middle section with playful counterpoint. This piece was inspired by the composer's visits to the city of Chesterfield, Missouri. The city's proximity to the urban area of historic St. Louis allows visitors to sample the best of big-city life. Simultaneously, its location on the western edge of St. Louis allows the visitor ample opportunity to sample the beauty of life in the country in the nearby Ozark Mountains and on the Missouri River.