Don Gillis

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Donald Eugene Gillis (born June 17, 1912 in Cameron , Missouri , † January 10, 1978 in Columbia , South Carolina ) was an American composer, conductor and teacher. One of his most famous compositions is the Symphony No. 5½ , A Symphony for Fun.

biography

Don Gillis was born in Cameron, Missouri. His family moved to Fort Worth , Texas , where he studied composition under Keith Mixson at Texas Christian University . He was a trombonist and deputy head of the university band. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1935, but stayed with the university for several years. In 1943 he was awarded a Master of Music from North Texas State University.

He was u. a. Production manager of various radio stations such as WBAP (1942), later NBC (1943), where he worked for the NBC Symphony Orchestra during the time when Arturo Toscanini was leading the orchestra. Gillis produced a number of radio shows including "Serenade to America" , "NBC Concert Hour" and " Toscanini: The Man Behind the Legend" , which aired on NBC a few years after the Italian conductor's death.

He arranged some works for the brass ensemble Canadian Brass and produced a. a. the recordings "Champions" and "Unexplored Territory".

Offices

  • 1958–1961 Vice President of Interlochen Music Camp in Michigan
  • 1967–1968 chairman of the music department at Southern Methodist University
  • 1968–1972 chair of the arts department at Dallas Baptist College
  • 1973–1978 chairman of the Institute of Media Arts at the University of South Carolina

music

Chronological list of the most important compositions

  • 1936 String Quartet No. 1
  • 1937 The Panhandle , Symphonic Suite for orchestra
  • 1937 The Crucifixion , Cantata
  • 1937 The Woolyworm , for orchestra
  • 1937 Thoughts Provoked on Becoming a Prospective Papa , Symphonic Suite
  • 1937 The Raven , after Edgar Allan Poe, for narrator and orchestra
  • 1938 Suite No. 1 for Wind Quintet
  • 1939 Suite No. 2 for Wind Quintet
  • 1939 Suite No. 3 for Wind Quintet
  • 1939-40 Symphony No. 1, An American Symphony
  • 1940 Intermission - Ten Minutes , symphonic sketch for orchestra
  • 1940 Portrait of a Frontier Town , for orchestra
  • 1940 Symphony No. 2, Symphony of Faith
  • 1940-41 Symphony No. 3, A Symphony for Free Men
  • 1941 The Night Before Christmas , for narrator and orchestra
  • 1942 Three Sketches , for strings
  • 1943 Prairie Poem , tone poem
  • 1943 Symphony No. 4, The Pioneers
  • 1944 The Alamo , Tone Poem
  • 1944 A Short Overture to an Unwritten Opera , for orchestra
  • 1944-45 Symphony No. 5, In Memoriam
  • 1945 To An Unknown Soldier , tone poem
  • 1945 This Is Our America , cantata
  • 1945-46 Symphony 5½, A Symphony for Fun
  • 1946 Rhapsody for harp and orchestra
  • 1947 Dude Ranch , tone poem
  • 1947 String Quartet No. 6th
  • 1947 Symphony No. 6, mid-century USA
  • 1948 Symphony No. 7, Saga of the Prairie School
  • 1949 Shindig , ballet in 7 episodes for orchestra
  • 1950 Symphony No. 8, A Dance Symphony
  • 1950 Tulsa , a symphonic portrait in oil, for orchestra
  • 1951 Symphony No. 9, Star-Spangled Symphony
  • 1954 The Coming of The King , for chorus
  • 1956 Piano Concerto No. 1, Encore Concerto
  • 1956 Pep-Rally , opera for band
  • 1957 The Park Avenue Kids , opera
  • 1957 Five Acre Pond , for oboe and orchestra
  • 1958 The Libretto , opera
  • 1958 Men of Music , for band
  • 1959 The Land of Wheat , suite for band
  • 1961-62 The Legend of Star Valley Junction , Opera
  • 1962 Amarillo - A Symphonic Celebration
  • 1964 Ceremony of Allegiance , for narrator and band
  • 1965 Seven Golden Texts , for narrator voices and orchestra
  • 1966 The Gift of the Magi , Opera
  • 1966 World Premiere , Opera
  • 1966 Piano Concerto No. 2
  • 1967 Arturo Toscanini, A Portrait of a Century , for narrator and orchestra
  • 1967 Symphony X (No. 10), Big D (allas)
  • 1967-8 The Nazarene , opera
  • 1969 Rhapsody for Trumpet and Orchestra
  • 1973 Behold the Man , opera
  • 1976 The Secret History of the Birth of a Nation , for narrator voices and orchestra

Publications

Gillis wrote 3 books:

  • 1948 And Then I Wrote
  • 1967 The Unfinished Symphony Conductor
  • 1973 The Art of Media Instruction

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Gillis, Don
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Gillis, Donald Eugene (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American composer, conductor and teacher
DATE OF BIRTH June 17, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH Cameron (Missouri)
DATE OF DEATH January 10, 1978
Place of death Columbia, South Carolina