Urban Scenes was commissioned by R. J. Metteer and the Lenox (Iowa) Junior High School Honor Band and received its premiere in 1993.

The work is in five movements, each depicting a contrasting episode of daily life in the city. It is meant to be very programmatic and suggestive of images that might be connected with each of the titles. It is also meant to be a teaching piece and contains large contrasts in the use of harmonic language as well as an introduction to extended techniques such as singing and aleatory. Thematically and stylistically, movements I (Skyline at Sunrise), III (Church Steeples), and V (Skyline at Sunset) are connected and movements II (The Business Day) and IV (Rush Hour) are connected.