Frank William Erickson
Encyclopedia
Frank William Erickson was born in Spokane, Washington
on September 1, 1923. He was the son of Frank O. and Myrtle Erickson. He began his instrumental career at the age of eight. At eight years old he began to play the piano. At age ten he became interested in the trumpet and started playing it. Today he is known as a great composer, conductor, arranger, writer, and trumpet player.
Frank Erickson grew up in the city of Spokane, in the state of Washington. He attended high school there. While in high school, he was inspired to write his first concert band piece, The Fall of Evening. When he turned nineteen years old, World War II began. He then served with the US Army Air Force from 1942 to 1946. He worked as a weather forecaster and also arranged music for several army bands. After the war ended he worked as a jazz arranger, and a trumpet player. He also studied composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
during this time period.
As he wrote music and studied composition, Frank Erickson became more and more interested in getting a degree. Because of this, he enrolled in the University of Southern California and furthered his studies in composition. While Frank Erickson was still a student at USC, he began arranging half-time shows for the USC marching band. By the time he graduated, he had many published band compositions. His very first was called Little Suite for Band. He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1950. The next year he went back to USC, and graduated again with a Master of Music degree in 1951.
In 1953, Frank Ericson married Mary Theresa McGrorty. He had three sons with her: William Erickson, Richard Erickson, and Christian Erickson. Mary Theresa McGrorty died in 1975 at the age of 53 years old. On August 15, 1981 he remarried. The wife’s name was Mary Ann Smith. After Frank Erickson died in 1996, Mary Ann Smith donated all of the music that he had written to Old Dominion University in the year 2000.
Frank Ericson lectured at University of California, in Los Angeles, in 1958. He then became a professor of music at San Jose State University. The 50s were great years for Frank Erickson. His publications of works such as Balladair, Air for Band, Fantasy for Band, and Toccata for Band became instant hits. He became really famous because of works such as these. He is also famous for his book Arranging for the Concert Band because it has helped many college music majors. Also, he wrote a master thesis about his own music.
For a number of years, Frank Erickson worked in a publishing company, but years later he became an entrepreneur. He began his own publishing business called Frank Erickson Publications in 1995. He was a long time member of the National Band Association, was elected to the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts in 1986, was a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), was a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Pi Kappa Lambda
, the Phi Beta Mu, and the American Bandmasters Association. He died on October 21, 1996. He had published over 400 works, 200 of them originals. All his works were donated to Old Dominion University by his wife after he died. Today, he is still well known for his great music and talent.
1. Balladair
2. Air for Band
3. Fantasy for Band
4. Toccata for Band
5. The Fall of Evening
6. Little Suite for Band
7. Allegro Animato
8. Barcarolle
9. English Folk-Song Fantasy
10. Fanfare for a Festival
11. Lyric Suite
12. Aria Cantabile
13. Overture Jubiloso
14. Irish Folk Song Suite
2. http://books.google.com/books?id=a_50I6_bmYgC&pg=PT1&lpg=PT1&dq=frank+erickson's+famous+compositions&source=bl&ots=Od61caHtjX&sig=9kilw651AMWEKAZYhilJZxD-E-Y&hl=en&ei=BNzTSoLSIszS8Qaq1pmDDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CA4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false
3. http://www.lib.odu.edu/musiclib/contemporarymusic/frankerickson/biography.htm
4. http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/clarkedc/Homework/Frank%20Erickson.doc
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
on September 1, 1923. He was the son of Frank O. and Myrtle Erickson. He began his instrumental career at the age of eight. At eight years old he began to play the piano. At age ten he became interested in the trumpet and started playing it. Today he is known as a great composer, conductor, arranger, writer, and trumpet player.
Frank Erickson grew up in the city of Spokane, in the state of Washington. He attended high school there. While in high school, he was inspired to write his first concert band piece, The Fall of Evening. When he turned nineteen years old, World War II began. He then served with the US Army Air Force from 1942 to 1946. He worked as a weather forecaster and also arranged music for several army bands. After the war ended he worked as a jazz arranger, and a trumpet player. He also studied composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco was an Italian composer. He was known as one of the foremost guitar composers in the twentieth century with almost one hundred compositions for that instrument. In 1939 he migrated to the United States and became a film composer for some 200 Hollywood movies for the next...
during this time period.
As he wrote music and studied composition, Frank Erickson became more and more interested in getting a degree. Because of this, he enrolled in the University of Southern California and furthered his studies in composition. While Frank Erickson was still a student at USC, he began arranging half-time shows for the USC marching band. By the time he graduated, he had many published band compositions. His very first was called Little Suite for Band. He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1950. The next year he went back to USC, and graduated again with a Master of Music degree in 1951.
In 1953, Frank Ericson married Mary Theresa McGrorty. He had three sons with her: William Erickson, Richard Erickson, and Christian Erickson. Mary Theresa McGrorty died in 1975 at the age of 53 years old. On August 15, 1981 he remarried. The wife’s name was Mary Ann Smith. After Frank Erickson died in 1996, Mary Ann Smith donated all of the music that he had written to Old Dominion University in the year 2000.
Frank Ericson lectured at University of California, in Los Angeles, in 1958. He then became a professor of music at San Jose State University. The 50s were great years for Frank Erickson. His publications of works such as Balladair, Air for Band, Fantasy for Band, and Toccata for Band became instant hits. He became really famous because of works such as these. He is also famous for his book Arranging for the Concert Band because it has helped many college music majors. Also, he wrote a master thesis about his own music.
For a number of years, Frank Erickson worked in a publishing company, but years later he became an entrepreneur. He began his own publishing business called Frank Erickson Publications in 1995. He was a long time member of the National Band Association, was elected to the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts in 1986, was a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers), was a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Pi Kappa Lambda
Pi Kappa Lambda
Pi Kappa Lambda is an American honor society for undergraduate students, graduate students, and professors of music. There are currently 205 active chapters and approximately 64,500 individual members....
, the Phi Beta Mu, and the American Bandmasters Association. He died on October 21, 1996. He had published over 400 works, 200 of them originals. All his works were donated to Old Dominion University by his wife after he died. Today, he is still well known for his great music and talent.
Works
Some of Frank Erickson’s most popular pieces include:1. Balladair
2. Air for Band
3. Fantasy for Band
4. Toccata for Band
5. The Fall of Evening
6. Little Suite for Band
7. Allegro Animato
8. Barcarolle
9. English Folk-Song Fantasy
10. Fanfare for a Festival
11. Lyric Suite
12. Aria Cantabile
13. Overture Jubiloso
14. Irish Folk Song Suite
Sources
1. http://www.windrep.org/Frank_Erickson2. http://books.google.com/books?id=a_50I6_bmYgC&pg=PT1&lpg=PT1&dq=frank+erickson's+famous+compositions&source=bl&ots=Od61caHtjX&sig=9kilw651AMWEKAZYhilJZxD-E-Y&hl=en&ei=BNzTSoLSIszS8Qaq1pmDDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CA4Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=&f=false
3. http://www.lib.odu.edu/musiclib/contemporarymusic/frankerickson/biography.htm
4. http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/clarkedc/Homework/Frank%20Erickson.doc