Adolphus Hailstork facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adolphus Hailstork
|
|
|---|---|
Adolphus Hailstork
|
|
| Born |
Adolphus Cunningham Hailstork III
April 17, 1941 |
| Education | Michigan State University (PhD) |
| Occupation |
|
Adolphus Cunningham Hailstork III (born April 17, 1941) is an American composer and teacher. He was born in Rochester, New York. He grew up in Albany, New York, where he learned to play the violin, piano, and organ. He also studied voice. Today, he lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
A Musical Journey
Adolphus Hailstork started his music journey in 1963. He studied how to compose music at Howard University. Later that year, he went to France to study at the American Conservatory at Fontainebleau. He continued his studies at the Manhattan School of Music. There, he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in 1965 and a Master of Music degree in 1966. He then earned his PhD in composition from Michigan State University in 1971.
After finishing his education, Hailstork became a teacher. He taught at Michigan State University from 1969 to 1971. Then, he taught at Youngstown State University in Ohio for five years. In 1977, he became a music professor and a "Composer-in-Residence" at Norfolk State University in Virginia. This means he was a composer who worked closely with the university's music program. He also taught at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.
Hailstork's family background includes African American, Native American, and European roots. His music often mixes ideas from these different cultures. In October 2022, his music became well-known in Britain. He was featured as "Composer of the Week" on BBC Radio 3, a popular radio station.
Awards and Achievements
Adolphus Hailstork has received many awards for his amazing music. Here are some of them:
- 1971: The Ernest Bloch Award for a choral piece called Mourn Not the Dead.
- 1977: The Belwin-Mills Max Winkler Award for his work Out of Depths.
- 1983: First Prize from the Virginia College Band Directors for his piece Guernica.
- 1987: A Fulbright fellowship. This is a special scholarship that allowed him to study in Guyana.
- 1992: He was named a Cultural Laureate of the Commonwealth of Virginia. This is a special honor for artists in his home state.
- 1995: First Prize at the University of Delaware Festival of Contemporary Music for Consort Piece.
- 1999: The Brock Commission from the American Choral Directors Association.
- 2001: An Honorary Doctorate from the College of William and Mary.
His music is published by well-known companies like Theodore Presser Company and Carl Fischer Music. You can find many of his old documents and works at Old Dominion University. They keep them in a special collection for composers.
What Kind of Music Does He Write?
Adolphus Hailstork has written many different types of music. He composes for solo instruments, small groups of instruments, choirs, and full orchestras. He has even written operas!
Music for Solo Instruments He has written pieces for single instruments like the piano, bassoon, flute, harp, and cello. Some of these include 2 Scherzos for piano and Sonata for Solo Cello.
Music for Small Groups (Chamber Ensemble) Hailstork also writes for small groups of musicians. These are called chamber ensembles. Examples include American Fanfare for brass instruments and String Quartet No. 2, which uses a famous tune called "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot."
Music for Chorus and Orchestra He has created large works that combine a choir with a full orchestra. One well-known piece is I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes, which is a cantata for a singer, choir, and orchestra.
Music for Orchestra He has written many pieces just for a full orchestra. These include An American Port of Call and his Symphony No. 3. He also wrote Epitaph for a Man Who Dreamed, which honors Martin Luther King, Jr.
Operas Hailstork has written operas, which are plays set to music. Some of his operas are Joshua’s Boots and Rise for Freedom: The John P. Parker Story.
