Donald Erb
Donald Erb (January 17, 1927 – August 12, 2008) was an American composer best known for large orchestral works such as Concerto for Brass and Orchestra and Ritual Observances.
Early years
[edit]Erb was born in Youngstown, Ohio, graduated from Lakewood High School, a Cleveland suburb, and gained early recognition as a trumpet player for a local dance band.[1] Following a stint in the Navy during World War II, he continued his career as a jazz trumpeter and enrolled at Kent State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in music in 1950.[1] Three years later, he earned a Master of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music.[1] In 1964, Erb earned a Doctorate in Music from Indiana University Bloomington, where he studied with Bernhard Heiden.[1][2]
Honors and awards
[edit]In the course of his career, Erb earned considerable recognition. He received the 1992 Rome Prize and was composer-in-residence with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. He was Distinguished Professor of Composition, Emeritus, at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] He has received grants and fellowships from the Rockefeller, Guggenheim, Ford, Fromm, and Koussevitzky foundations.[1]
For a list of Erb's notable students, See: List of music students by teacher: C to F#Donald Erb.
He died at his home in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, on August 12, 2008, at the age of 81.[3]
Selected works
[edit]- 1966 Concerto for Solo Percussionist
- 1964 Symphony of Overtures
- 1965 Phantasma for four musicians
- 1966 Diversion For Two (other than sex) for trumpet and percussion
- 1966 String Trio for violin, electric guitar and violoncello
- 1967 Reconnaissance for instruments and electronic sounds
- 1968 In No Strange Land for instruments and electronic sounds
- 1969 The Seventh Trumpet for orchestra
- 1983 "Prismatic Variations" for orchestra
- 1986 Concerto for Brass and Orchestra
- 1994 Changes
- 1994 Remembrances
- 1994 Sonata for Solo Violin
- 1995 Sunlit Peaks and Dark Valleys
- 1995 Sonata for Solo Harp
- "Autumn Music for Orchestra"
- "Christmas Music for Orchestra"
- "Harold's Trip to the Sky" for Viola, piano and percussion
- "Klangfarbenfunk I & II" for jazz group and orchestra
- "Percussion Concerto" for percussion and orchestra
- "The Hawk" for jazz group
- "The Treasures of the Snow" for electronics and orchestra
- "Trombone Concerto"
- "2 Milosci do Warszawy" for piano, clarinet, cello, trombone and electronic sounds
- String Quartet N. 1
- String Quartet N. 2
- String Quartet N. 3
- "Music for Mother Bear" for flute alone
- "Evensong" for orchestra
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f "Donald Erb biography". New World Records. Retrieved 2007-03-27.
- ^ Slonimsky, Nicolas; Kuhn, Laura; McIntire, Dennis (January 1, 2001). "Erb, Donald (James)". Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. Archived from the original on January 10, 2016. Retrieved December 3, 2014 – via HighBeam Research.
- ^ Richard M. Peery, "Donald Erb: Avant-Guard [sic] Composer, Conductor Archived 2009-03-09 at the Wayback Machine", Cleveland Plain Dealer (Tuesday August 12, 2008).
External links
[edit]- Donald Erb's page at Theodore Presser Company
- Obituary from New York Times, August 15, 2008
- Donald Erb bio [permanent dead link] as listed by the Cleveland Composers Guild Archived 2011-02-10 at the Wayback Machine
- Interview with Donald Erb, February 28, 1985
Finalists: Pulitzer Prize for Music (1991–2000) | ||
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- 1927 births
- 2008 deaths
- Cleveland Institute of Music alumni
- Kent State University alumni
- Indiana University Bloomington alumni
- 20th-century American classical composers
- 21st-century American classical composers
- American male classical composers
- Nonesuch Records artists
- Musicians from Youngstown, Ohio
- Cleveland Institute of Music faculty
- United States Navy personnel of World War II
- Pupils of Bernhard Heiden
- Classical musicians from Ohio
- 20th-century American male musicians
- 21st-century American male musicians