William L. Dawson (composer)

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William Levi Dawson (born September 26, 1899 in Anniston , Alabama , † May 2, 1990 ) was an American composer, choir conductor and music teacher.

Dawson began at the Tuskegee Institute when he was thirteen , with Frank L. Drye and Alice Carter Simmons among his teachers. Until the end of his studies in 1921 he played in the institute's orchestra, was a music librarian and toured with the Institute Singers for five years . He started composing at the age of sixteen.

After a year at Washburn College in Topeka , Kansas, he enrolled at the Horner Institute of Fine Arts in Kansas City , where he received his bachelor's degree in 1925. In addition, he taught from 1922 to 1926 at Lincoln High School in Kansas City. In 1927 he received his Masters degree from the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago . He completed his training with Carl Busch and Regina G. Hall and took private lessons with Adolf Weidig , Thorvald Otterstrom and Felix Borowski . From 1926 to 1930 he was principal trombonist with the Chicago Civic Orchestra under Frederic Stock and Eric DeLamarter .

In 1931 he returned to Tuskegee University, where he directed their music school until 1956. During this time he led the university choir to international renown. He kicked u. a. in front of Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt , at Carnegie Hall , Constitution Hall in Washington, and on NBC , ABC and CBS broadcasts .

Dawson's most important work was the Negro Folk Symphony , which was premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of Leopold Stokowski . On his anniversary in 1956, Tuskegee University awarded him an honorary doctorate. In 1976 he was honored by the American Choral Directors Association for his services to choral music .

Works

  • Ain'a that good news? for mixed choir, 1937
  • An Easter canticle for alto solo, three-part female choir and violin
  • Before the sun goes down for soprano, tenor, mixed choir and echo choir
  • Behold the star for soprano, tenor, mixed choir and echo choir, 1946
  • Break, break, break for mixed choir and orchestra, 1928
  • Deep river for mixed choir
  • Every time I feel the spirit for baritone and mixed choir, 1946
  • Ezekiel saw the wheel for mixed choir, 1942
  • Feed-a my sheep for mixed choir and piano, 1971
  • Forever thine for medium voice and piano, 1920
  • Go to sleep , lullaby for high voice and piano (text by Vernon N. Ray ), 1926
  • Great day for mixed choir
  • Hail Mary for alr and mixed choir, 1946
  • I couldn't hear nobody pray for soprano and mixed choir, 1920
  • I wan 'to be ready for alto, baritone, mixed choir and piano, 1967
  • In his care-o for mixed choir, 1961
  • Interlude for piano
  • I've been 'buked for mixed choir
  • King Jesus is-a listening for soprano and mixed choir, 1925
  • Jesus walked this lonesome valley for high voice and piano, 1927
  • Jump back, honey for medium voice and piano, 1923
  • Listen to the lambs for mixed choir
  • Lovers plighted for mixed choir, 1931
  • Mary had a baby for soprano and mixed choir, 1947
  • My Lord, what a mourning for deep voice and piano, 1927
  • Negro folk symphony for orchestra, 1932
  • Negro folk song for orchestra, 1940
  • Negro work song for orchestra, 1941
  • Oh, what a beautiful city for medium voice and piano, 1939
  • Out in the fields with God for medium voice and piano, 1929
  • Pilgrim's chorus from Tannhäuser, by Richard Wagner for mixed choir, 1967
  • Rockin 'Jerusalem for mixed choir
  • Scherzo for orchestra, 1930
  • Slumber song for mixed choir, 1974
  • Sonata for violin and piano, 1927
  • Soon ah will be done for mixed choir, 1934
  • Steal away for mixed choir, 1942
  • Swing low, sweet chariot for soprano and mixed choir, 1946
  • Symphony, no.1, E flat major
  • Talk about a chile that do love Jesus for high voice and piano, 1927
  • The mongrel yank; A Yankee is a mixture of many races for male choir and piano, 1930
  • The rugged Yank for medium voice and piano
  • There is a balm in Gilead for mixed choir, 1939
  • There's a lit'l wheel a-turning in my heart for mixed choir, 1949
  • Trio for piano, violin and cello, 1925
  • You got to reap just what you sow for deep voice and piano, 1928

swell

personal data
SURNAME Dawson, William L.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Dawson, William Levi (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American composer, choir conductor and music teacher
DATE OF BIRTH September 26, 1899
PLACE OF BIRTH Anniston , Alabama
DATE OF DEATH May 2, 1990