Back ويليام جرانت ستيل ARZ William Grant Still Catalan William Grant Still Danish William Grant Still German William Grant Still Esperanto William Grant Still Spanish William Grant Still Basque William Grant Still Finnish William Grant Still French William Grant Still Italian
William Grant Still | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Carl Van Vechten, 1949 | |
| Born | William Grant Still Jr. May 11, 1895 Woodville, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | December 3, 1978 (aged 83) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Education | |
| Occupations |
|
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 6 |
| Relatives | Celeste Headlee (granddaughter) |
| Signature | |
 | |
William Grant Still Jr. (May 11, 1895– December 3, 1978) was an American composer of nearly two hundred works, including five symphonies, four ballets, nine operas, over thirty choral works, art songs, chamber music, and solo works. Born in Mississippi and growing up in Little Rock, Arkansas,[1] Still attended Wilberforce University and Oberlin Conservatory of Music[2][3] as a student of George Whitefield Chadwick and then Edgard Varèse.[4] Because of his close association and collaboration with prominent African-American literary and cultural figures, Still is considered to be part of the Harlem Renaissance.
Often referred to as the "Dean of Afro-American Composers," Still was the first American composer to have an opera produced by the New York City Opera.[5][6] He is known primarily for his first symphony, Afro-American Symphony (1930),[7] which was, until 1950, the most widely performed symphony composed by an American.[8] Still was able to become a leading figure in the field of American classical music as the first African-American to conduct a major American symphony orchestra, have a symphony performed by a leading orchestra, have an opera performed by a major opera company, and have an opera performed on national television.[9] The papers of Still and his second wife, the librettist and writer Verna Arvey, are currently held by the University of Arkansas.[5]
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Still, Dabrishus & Quinwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:6was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Cite error: The named reference
murchisonwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
locwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Thurman, Kira (August 27, 2021). "When Europe Offered Black Composers an Ear – Spurned by institutions in America, artists were sometimes given more opportunities across the Atlantic". The New York Times. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
- ^ "Biographical Sketch of William Grant Still". library.duke.edu. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
- ^ Bogdan, Dennis (September 23, 2021). "Comment – A Black Composer Finally Arrives at the Metropolitan Opera". The New York Times. Retrieved September 23, 2021.