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Memphis Composers

Memphis area composers, including current and former faculty, students, community members.

Composers Q-Z

Composers Q-Z

JAMES RICHENS

Mr. James Richens is a Composer in Residence with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and Professor Emeritus (Composition, Orchestration, and Electronic Music) at the University of Memphis. He received a Bacholor's degree in music composition from Memphis State University in 1958 and a Master's of Music in theory and composition from Eastman School of Music in 1960. Richens is from Memphis, Tennessee.


Works

Another autumn : alto saxophone & piano score

Introduction and toccata LP

Prelude and dance; B♭ clarinet solo with piano score 

Prelude and dance for clarinet and band LP

Sweetly sings The Phoenix LP

JOHANNES SMIT, 1913-1972


Works

Music Library:

A short music theory review book

 

Works Held in Other Libraries:

Bagatelle​ score

Express train score

The fall of Babylon score

Japanese haiku : four poems for piano score

Moon-shadows : piano solo, or two pianos, four hands score

Song of the bells score

Trio (for piano, flute, and violoncello) score

BURNET TUTHILL, 1888-1982

Mr. Burnet Tuthil was born in New York City. He attended the prestigious Horace Mann School, Columbia University, and the Cincinnati College of Music. He played clarinet in the Columbia University orchestra while in high school and later became its conductor.

In 1922 Tuthill became general manager of the Cincinnati Conservatory and entered its Master’s program in 1930. After receiving his degree, he became director of Southwestern College (now Rhodes College) in Memphis as well as Director of Memphis Conservatory which eventually merged with Southwestern. In 1938 he founded the Memphis Symphony which he conducted until 1946. His students included the renowned exploratory musician Moondog.

Tuthill founded the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) in 1924 and served as its secretary until 1959. He also founded the Society for the Publication of American Music (SPAM) in 1919, whose publications are still available from Theodore Presser Company.

Tuthill composed over 100 works for such ensembles as orchestra, chorus, and chamber music in addition to concertos for many instruments.

Tuthill's father, an architect and amateur cellist, designed Carnegie Hall.


Works

Chips' fast piece; for clarinet and piano score

Concerto for clarinet and orchestra : reduction for clarinet and piano by the composer score

Concerto for double bass and wind orchestra score

Concerto, tenor saxophone & orchestra, op. 50 score

Concerto, for trombone and orchestra (or band), op. 54. score

Divertimento (in classic style) Op. 14, no. 2. for flute, oboe, B♭ clarinet and bassoon score

Duo for clarinet and bassoon, op.18, no.2. 1940 score

Fantasy sonata (in one movement) : solo for clarinet in B♭ with piano accompaniment : op. 3 score

Sam Viviano

SAM VIVIANO, 1942-

Mr. Sam Viviano received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees from The Juilliard School, where he was a scholarship student of Adele Marcus. Before his invitation to join the faculty at Memphis State University in 1980, Viviano taught at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, Middlebury College in Vermont, and was a founding member of The Orpheus Piano Festival at Johnson State College in Vermont.

Viviano gave his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall in 1979 and his Washington debut at the Phillips Collection in 1984. The New York Times spoke of his "impeccable control" and "natural affinity for the music's poetic content," while The Washington Post lauded his "total conviction and mastery." In 1986 he played a solo program of 20th-century American music at New York's Merkin Concert Hall, of which The New Yorker cited his “sure fingers and large-scale control." He has since been soloist with the symphony orchestras of Charlotte, St. Petersburg, Tampa, Vermont, and Amsterdam.

In recent years he has done extensive study concerning a natural, healthy approach to the piano with Dorothy Taubman, Edna Golandsky, Sheila Paige, and also with Yoheved Kaplinsky at Juilliard. His artistic output is varied: piano compositions, pedagogy books, teaching aids, musical artwork, CDs, and master classes or other instructional presentations. His piano works are published by PuffinTanz Press. His articles have appeared in Clavier and The American Music Teacher.


Works

Bel notturno : for piano left hand score

Four etudes piano left hand score

Nine graphic scores : for solo instrumentalists, vocalists, or creative ensembles score

Pictures can sing! : eight graphic scores for the young pianist score

The retelling of dreams CD

Sports & commotions : sixteen character pieces for piano left hand with narration & drawings depicting things to do or watch other people do or simply muse about score

Ten fantasies : ten graphic scores for one or more musicians with the additional options of dance and/or narration score

Two Intermezzi for piano left hand score

The view on your left : 17 piano pieces for the left hand : an invitation to the curious, adventurous student score

DAVID RUSSELL WILLIAMS

Dr. David Russell Williams joined the faculty of Memphis State University in 1980 and later served as Chair of the Music Department. He received an Artium Baccalaureatus degree in 1954 and a Master's of Arts in composition in 1956 from Columbia University. Following graduation, he was hired as Chief Instructor of hte U.S. Army Band Training School. He became the Music Director at Windham College in 1959. Upon completion of a Doctorate of Musical Arts in composition from Eastman School of Music in 1965, Williams joined the Eastman faculty. In 1980, he joined the faculty at Memphis State University. While a student at Eastman, Williams studied composition with Howard Hanson, Otto Luening, Henry Cowell, and Jack Beeson. He also studied piano and harpischord with Sylvia Marlowe, William Beller, and Orazio Frugoni.

Williams authored several books. He has served as National Secretary for the College Music Society, on the Board of Governors for the National Academy of Recording Sciences, and on the Board of Directors for hte National Association of Schools of Music. He was also president of the Tennessee Association of Music Executives of Colleges and Universities (1986-1987). Williams was an honorary member of the Black Student Association and received the Angel Award in 1984. He received the University of Memphis Distinguished Teaching Award in 1994.


Works

Compositions

Air for oboe and strings score

Concerto for piano, four hands and orchestra score

Dance piece, for solo bassoon score

Il est calme : op. 41 (song with piano) score

Fanfare (brass quintets) score

In the still of the bayou score

Lullaby under the magnolias, op. 40 (1963-64) score

March and fugue, for string orchestra score

Passacaglia score

Five pieces for harpsichord score

Quartet for two trumpets, trombone & piano score

The rainbow : op. 8 (song with piano) score

Recitation for trombone choir score

Sinfonia in E. score

Sinfonia in B♭ for band : opus 2 score

Sonata for harp score

Piano sonata no. 2 score

Piano sonata no. 3 score

Piano sonata no. 4 score

Piano sonata no. 5 score

Piano sonata no. 6 score

Piano sonata no. 8 score

Sonatina for bassoon and harp score

Sonatina for clarinet and piano score

Song and dance for violin and piano score

St. Anthony march : op. 31 score

Five states of mind score

Suite for brass quintet score

Suite for piano, four hands score

Suite for oboe, clarinet, and piano score

 

Other

A bibliography of the history of music theory book

Conversations with Howard Hanson book

Music theory from Boethius to Zarlino : a bibliography and guide book

Music theory from Zarlino to Schenker : a bibliography and guide book