[George
Walker: Great American Orchestral Works, Vol. 3;
Albany Records 1334 (2012) (Cover
Photo: Frank Schramm) (56:13)
]
George
Walker was born 90 years ago, June 27, 1922. He is a prolific
composer and pianist whose website is http://georgetwalker.com/;
he is featured at AfriClassical.com.
His latest recording, reviewed on AfriClassical February 26, 2012,
is George
Walker: Great
American Orchestral Works, Vol. 3;
Albany Records TROY1334 (2012).
George
Walker was the first composer of African descent to win the Pulitzer
prize for music, for his work Lilacs,
which was inspired by a poem of Walt Whitman on the death of
President Abraham Lincoln.
“George Walker was born in Washington, DC on June 27,
1922 of West Indian-American parentage. He graduated from high school
at the age of 14, attended Oberlin College and the Curtis Institute
of Music where he studied piano with Rudolf Serkin and composition
with Rosario Scalero. His auspicious debut at Town Hall in 1945 was
described in the New York Times as "notable...an authentic
talent of marked individuality and fine musical insight...a rare
combination of elegance and sincerity...an understanding, a technical
competence and a sensitiveness rarely heard at debut recitals."
Walker obtained his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree from Eastman and
went on to study in France with Nadia Boulanger on Fulbright and John
Hay Whitney Fellowships. His compositions have been played by
virtually every major orchestra and chamber orchestra in the United
States. This recording uniquely showcases the pianist as
composer-composer as pianist as Walker performs his Sonata No. 1.”
The
American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)
recently named its 2012 Concert Music Awards Honorees: “ASCAP
Honors its distinguished member, George Walker, with the Aaron
Copland Award in celebration of his 90th year and for his
contribution to American music as composer, pianist, educator and
exemplary musical citizen.”
Comment by email:Hello Bill, Thanks so much for posting this. It was most thoughtful of you and it is greatly appreciated. Best regards. George [George Walker]
Comment by email:Hello Bill, Thanks so much for posting this. It was most thoughtful of you and it is greatly appreciated. Best regards. George [George Walker]
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