Warren Benson
Encyclopedia
Warren Benson was an American composer. His compositions consist mostly of music for wind instruments and percussion. His most notable piece is titled The Leaves Are Falling.
in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
under Ormandy, Reiner, Goossens, Bernstein, and others while an undergraduate at the University of Michigan
. From 1950-1952, Benson was awarded two successive Fulbright grants to teach at Anatolia College
in Salonika, Greece. There he established a five-year bilingual music curriculum and organized the Anatolia College Chorale, the first scholastic co-educational choral group in that country. After 14 years at Ithaca College (where, in 1953, he organized the first touring percussion ensemble in the eastern United States – and the second worldwide), Mr. Benson became professor of composition at Eastman. During his tenure (1967-1993), he was honored with an Alumni Citation for Excellence, the Kilbourn professorship for distinguished teaching, and was named University Mentor. In 1994 he was appointed Professor Emeritus. He also served as Distinguished Visiting Professor at Southern Methodist University from 1986-88.
As a composer, Benson is best known for his moving song cycles and dynamic works for percussion and winds. Composer of more than 100 works, his music has been performed in more than 40 countries, and many of his works have been recorded. Warren Benson received numerous awards for his music, including the John Simon Guggenheim Composer Fellowship, the Lillian Fairchild Award, a Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association, many ASCAP Serious Music Awards, and three National Endowment for the Arts composer commissions. He was a founding member of the Percussive Arts Society, and was elected to its Hall of Fame, as well as to the National Band Association Academy of Excellence. In addition to his published music, Warren Benson also wrote Creative Projects in Musicianship as well as poetry and humorous fiction; in 1999 he celebrated his 75 th birthday with the publication of …And My Daddy Will Play the Drums: Limericks for Friends of Drummers. Warren Benson is also the subject of a bio-bibliography by Alan Wagner, published earlier this year by Edwin Mellen Press
.
, Eric Ewazen
, Claude Baker
, Robert Paterson
, Gordon Stout
, John Joseph Davye
, Paul Phillips
and Roger Briggs
.
, and the Benson family will endow the creation of the Warren and Pat Benson Forum on Creativity.
Biography
Born in 1924, and a professional performer by the age of 14, Warren Benson played timpaniTimpani
Timpani, or kettledrums, are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick called a timpani stick or timpani mallet...
in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
Detroit Symphony Orchestra
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...
under Ormandy, Reiner, Goossens, Bernstein, and others while an undergraduate at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. From 1950-1952, Benson was awarded two successive Fulbright grants to teach at Anatolia College
Anatolia College
Anatolia College , or sometimes the American College , is a private, non-profit, educational institution located in Pylaia, a suburb of Thessaloniki, Greece...
in Salonika, Greece. There he established a five-year bilingual music curriculum and organized the Anatolia College Chorale, the first scholastic co-educational choral group in that country. After 14 years at Ithaca College (where, in 1953, he organized the first touring percussion ensemble in the eastern United States – and the second worldwide), Mr. Benson became professor of composition at Eastman. During his tenure (1967-1993), he was honored with an Alumni Citation for Excellence, the Kilbourn professorship for distinguished teaching, and was named University Mentor. In 1994 he was appointed Professor Emeritus. He also served as Distinguished Visiting Professor at Southern Methodist University from 1986-88.
As a composer, Benson is best known for his moving song cycles and dynamic works for percussion and winds. Composer of more than 100 works, his music has been performed in more than 40 countries, and many of his works have been recorded. Warren Benson received numerous awards for his music, including the John Simon Guggenheim Composer Fellowship, the Lillian Fairchild Award, a Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association, many ASCAP Serious Music Awards, and three National Endowment for the Arts composer commissions. He was a founding member of the Percussive Arts Society, and was elected to its Hall of Fame, as well as to the National Band Association Academy of Excellence. In addition to his published music, Warren Benson also wrote Creative Projects in Musicianship as well as poetry and humorous fiction; in 1999 he celebrated his 75 th birthday with the publication of …And My Daddy Will Play the Drums: Limericks for Friends of Drummers. Warren Benson is also the subject of a bio-bibliography by Alan Wagner, published earlier this year by Edwin Mellen Press
Edwin Mellen Press
The Edwin Mellen Press, based in Lewiston, New York is a niche publisher of scholarly material and advanced research in the humanities and social sciences. They publish a variety of tomes including monographs, bibliographies, concordances, dictionaries, conference proceedings, dissertations, and...
.
Legacy
His notable students include Michael Glenn WilliamsMichael Glenn Williams
Michael Glenn Williams is an American composer, pianist and technologist.-Biography:Williams' earliest years were spent in New York, beginning trumpet studies and composing at 8 years old. At 12 he was programming DEC PDP 8 minicomputers...
, Eric Ewazen
Eric Ewazen
Eric Ewazen is an American composer and teacher. Ewazen studied composition under Samuel Adler, Milton Babbitt, Gunther Schuller, Joseph Schwantner, Warren Benson, and Eugene Kurtz at the Eastman School of Music and The Juilliard School...
, Claude Baker
Claude Baker
W. Claude Baker Jr. is an American composer of contemporary classical music.Claude Baker attained a B.M. degree, magna cum laude, from East Carolina University in 1970. He subsequently studied composition at the Eastman School of Music with Samuel Adler and Warren Benson, and holds M.M. and D.M.A...
, Robert Paterson
Robert Paterson
Robert Paterson may refer to:* Robert Paterson , Scottish stonemason* Robert Paterson , Anglican Bishop of Sodor and Man, Isle of Man* Robert Paterson , American composer*Robert Paterson...
, Gordon Stout
Gordon Stout
Gordon Stout is an American percussionist, composer, and educator specializing in the marimba.He studied composition with Joseph Schwantner, Samuel Adler, and Warren Benson, and percussion with James Salmon and John Beck...
, John Joseph Davye
John Joseph Davye
John Joseph Davye was an influential choral conductor and a composer of choral and chamber music. He finished his career as a teacher, composer, director, and festival adjudicator as Professor Emeritus of Music at Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA...
, Paul Phillips
Paul Phillips (conductor)
Paul Schuyler Phillips is an American conductor, composer and music scholar. He is Director of Orchestras and Chamber Music, with the rank of Senior Lecturer in Music, at Brown University. He is also Music Director and Conductor of the Pioneer Valley Symphony and Chorus, and maintains an...
and Roger Briggs
Roger Briggs
Roger Briggs is an American composer, conductor, pianist, and educator.- Biography :Roger Briggs, born and raised in Florence, Alabama, began playing the piano at age 8 and composing by age 11. His earliest teachers were Norman Hill and Walter Urben who taught at the University of North Alabama...
.
Archive
A Warren Benson Archive is in the process of being established at the Sibley Music LibrarySibley Music Library
Sibley Music Library is the library of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, NY. It was founded in 1904 by Hiram Watson Sibley in honor of his father Hiram Sibley and is currently the largest university music library in the US.-History:...
, and the Benson family will endow the creation of the Warren and Pat Benson Forum on Creativity.