Keith Wilson (musician)
Encyclopedia
Keith L. Wilson is an American
classical musician. He is a clarinetist, teacher, and conductor.
, New Haven, Connecticut
, in 1946.
Wilson taught at Yale for over 40 years before retiring in 1987 at the age of 70. He served as director of the Yale Bands until 1972. He later became associate dean of the School of Music and director of the Norfolk Summer School of Music.
On 22 February 1956 he led members of the Yale Concert Band in the first documented performance of "Set No. 1, Movement V, 'Calcium Light Night
'" by composer Charles Ives
.
He was selected to conduct the National Intercollegiate Band in 1967 http://www.tbsigma.org/nationalintercollegiate.html.
Wilson's students include
composed Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber
for symphony orchestra. Believing strongly that the work should be made available in a band version, Hindemith asked his Yale colleague Keith Wilson to make the transcription. After permission was finally granted by the publisher in 1960, Wilson worked on the arrangement for 18 months. He regarded it as his largest and most significant transcription. The arrangement has become a cornerstone of the concert band
repertoire." (Smith, Norman. Program Notes for Band. pg.292)
He is now retired from performing. His last appearance as soloist was the Concertino for Clarinet by Carl Maria von Weber
, with the Yale Concert Band (Thomas C. Duffy
, Music Director) on 6 December 1985. His last chamber music appearance was 15 July 1990 playing Bela Bartok
's Contrasts for clarinet, violin and piano at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival
ion Norfolk, Connecticut
.
and others at the Yale School of Music established the Keith Wilson scholarship, to be awarded "to an outstanding major in wind instrument playing."
On his retirement in 1987, the Yale School of Music commissioned a piece in his honor: "Songs of Sea and Sky" by Tasmanian/Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe
.
In 1999 he was awarded the Sanford Medal, the Yale School of Music
's highest honor, and the Gustav Stoeckel Award, which honors faculty who have contributed to the life of the School of Music.
Robert Blocker, dean of the school, described Wilson as "one of Yale's most outstanding professors" and "the embodiment of all the Yale School of Music stands for and hopes to be."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
classical musician. He is a clarinetist, teacher, and conductor.
Teaching and conducting career
Wilson was appointed to the faculty of the Yale School of MusicYale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
, New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, in 1946.
Wilson taught at Yale for over 40 years before retiring in 1987 at the age of 70. He served as director of the Yale Bands until 1972. He later became associate dean of the School of Music and director of the Norfolk Summer School of Music.
On 22 February 1956 he led members of the Yale Concert Band in the first documented performance of "Set No. 1, Movement V, 'Calcium Light Night
Calcium Light Night
Calcium Light Night is a piece of music by American composer Charles Ives. It is one of his Cartoons or Take-Offs and is scored for piccolo, clarinet, cornet, trombone, bass drum, and two pianos...
'" by composer Charles Ives
Charles Ives
Charles Edward Ives was an American modernist composer. He is one of the first American composers of international renown, though Ives' music was largely ignored during his life, and many of his works went unperformed for many years. Over time, Ives came to be regarded as an "American Original"...
.
He was selected to conduct the National Intercollegiate Band in 1967 http://www.tbsigma.org/nationalintercollegiate.html.
Wilson's students include
- J. Roger Cole (clarinetist)
- Malcolm Dickinson (clarinet teacher)
- Gary Ginstling (clarinetist)
- Walter HeksterWalter HeksterWalter Hekster is a Dutch composer, clarinetist and conductor of classical music, specializing in contemporary classical music....
(clarinetist, composer) - David IrwinDavid IrwinDavid George Irwin is a former rugby union player who played for and the British Lions.-Ireland:Between 1980 and 1990, Irwin made 25 appearances for , scoring 8 points including 2 tries...
(clarinetist) - Mitch LeighMitch LeighMitch Leigh is an American musical theatre composer and theatrical producer best known for the musical Man Of La Mancha.-Biography:Leigh was born in Brooklyn, New York) as Irwin Michnick...
(composer) - Steven Lipsitt (conductor)
- Eric MandatEric MandatEric Paul Mandat is a composer and performer of contemporary clarinet music.Mandat began his clarinet studies under the tutelage of Richard Joiner of the Denver Symphony. He later studied with Lee Gibson, Keith Wilson, D. Stanley Hasty, and Charles Neidich...
(clarinetist, composer) - James McElwaine (clarinetist, saxophonist)
- Rebecca Rischin (clarinetist)
- Richard StoltzmanRichard StoltzmanRichard Stoltzman is an American clarinetist. Born Richard Leslie Stoltzman in Omaha, Nebraska, he spent his early years in San Francisco, California and Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating from Woodward High School in 1960. Today, Stoltzman is part of the faculty list at the New England Conservatory...
(clarinetist) - Smith Toulson (clarinetist)
- Joaquin Valdepeñas (clarinetist)
- Francois Houle (clarinetist, composer)
- (need names of other students here)
Arranging for concert band
"In 1943 while teaching at Yale University, composer Paul HindemithPaul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
composed Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes by Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
for symphony orchestra. Believing strongly that the work should be made available in a band version, Hindemith asked his Yale colleague Keith Wilson to make the transcription. After permission was finally granted by the publisher in 1960, Wilson worked on the arrangement for 18 months. He regarded it as his largest and most significant transcription. The arrangement has become a cornerstone of the concert band
Concert band
A concert band, also called wind band, symphonic band, symphonic winds, wind orchestra, wind symphony, wind ensemble, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind instrument family, brass instrument family, and percussion instrument family.A...
repertoire." (Smith, Norman. Program Notes for Band. pg.292)
Performing career
A well known clarinetist and clarinet teacher, Wilson performed and recorded chamber music and clarinet concertos. He received numerous honors at Yale and throughout the country.He is now retired from performing. His last appearance as soloist was the Concertino for Clarinet by Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
, with the Yale Concert Band (Thomas C. Duffy
Thomas C. Duffy
Thomas C. Duffy is Professor of Music and the Director of Bands at Yale University.- Biography :From July 2005 through June 2006, he was the Acting Dean of the School of Music, and was Deputy Dean from 1997 to 2005...
, Music Director) on 6 December 1985. His last chamber music appearance was 15 July 1990 playing Bela Bartok
Béla Bartók
Béla Viktor János Bartók was a Hungarian composer and pianist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century and is regarded, along with Liszt, as Hungary's greatest composer...
's Contrasts for clarinet, violin and piano at the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival
Norfolk Chamber Music Festival
The Norfolk Chamber Music Festival is believed to be the oldest active music festival in North America. Set in a picturesque landscape among the Litchfield Hills of the lower Berkshires, the Festival traces its roots to the Battell family who started hosting summer concerts on the Norfolk town...
ion Norfolk, Connecticut
Norfolk, Connecticut
Norfolk is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,660 at the 2000 census.Norfolk is perhaps best known as the site of the Yale Summer School of Music – Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, which hosts an annual chamber music concert series in "the Music Shed," a...
.
Honors
In 1977 Mitch LeighMitch Leigh
Mitch Leigh is an American musical theatre composer and theatrical producer best known for the musical Man Of La Mancha.-Biography:Leigh was born in Brooklyn, New York) as Irwin Michnick...
and others at the Yale School of Music established the Keith Wilson scholarship, to be awarded "to an outstanding major in wind instrument playing."
On his retirement in 1987, the Yale School of Music commissioned a piece in his honor: "Songs of Sea and Sky" by Tasmanian/Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Sculthorpe
Peter Joshua Sculthorpe AO OBE is an Australian composer. Much of his music has resulted from an interest in the music of Australia's neighbours as well as from the impulse to bring together aspects of native Australian music with that of the heritage of the West...
.
In 1999 he was awarded the Sanford Medal, the Yale School of Music
Yale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the twelve professional schools at Yale University and one of the premier music conservatories in the world....
's highest honor, and the Gustav Stoeckel Award, which honors faculty who have contributed to the life of the School of Music.
Robert Blocker, dean of the school, described Wilson as "one of Yale's most outstanding professors" and "the embodiment of all the Yale School of Music stands for and hopes to be."