Dorothy Rudd Moore facts for kids

Dorothy Rudd Moore (born June 4, 1940 – died March 30, 2022) was an amazing American composer and music teacher. She helped start the Society of Black Composers. Dorothy was known as one of the most important women composers of color of her time. Big groups like the National Symphony and Opera Ebony asked her to create music for them. She was also part of several music groups, including the American Composers Alliance. Even though her music wasn't officially published, you can find it through the American Composers Alliance.

About Dorothy Rudd Moore

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Dorothy Rudd Moore was born in New Castle, Delaware. She grew up in a family that loved music. Her mother always encouraged her to study music and explore all her interests. Dorothy started piano lessons at a young age. She knew she wanted to be a composer even when she was little.

She studied piano at the Wilmington School of Music. To join the all-male band at Howard High, she learned to play the clarinet. Music was a big part of her life. She also studied music theory and sang in both her high school and church choirs.

College and Advanced Studies

Dorothy started college at Howard University planning to teach music. But she soon changed her mind to focus on composing. She was always making up new songs and tunes when she played. She once said, "I didn't even know that the word 'composer' existed... I just used to do the music."

She graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor of Music degree. After that, she received a special scholarship called the Lucy Moten Fellowship. This allowed her to study in France with the famous teacher Nadia Boulanger. She continued her studies in New York and later with Lola Hayes. Throughout her career, top orchestras asked her to write music for them. These included the National Symphony and Opera Ebony.

Teaching and Family Life

Dorothy Rudd Moore also worked as a private music teacher. She taught at the Harlem School of the Arts from 1965 to 1966. Later, she taught at New York University and Bronx Community College. In 1964, she married cellist and conductor, Kermit Moore.

In 1968, Dorothy and her husband helped create the Society of Black Composers in New York City. This group supported and promoted music by Black composers. In 1969, Dorothy and Kermit faced challenges when they were almost stopped from performing at a concert. This was because of their race.

Later Career and Achievements

Dorothy received many awards and grants throughout her life. Her musical works, Dirge and Deliverance and Songs from the Dark Tower, were released in 1981. In 1985, her opera about the famous historical figure, Frederick Douglass, was performed for the first time in New York City. Opera Ebony presented this important work.

From 1988 to 1990, she served on the music panel for the New York State Council of the Arts. This showed her influence in the arts community.

Awards and Recognition

Dorothy Rudd Moore received several important awards for her musical talents.

• Lucy Moten Fellowship, 1963
• American Music Center Grant, 1972
• New York State Council on the Arts Grant, 1985
• Meet the Composer grants

She was celebrated for her amazing skills as a singer and for playing many different instruments.

Dorothy Rudd Moore's Music

Her Unique Musical Style

Experts at the American Composers Alliance describe Dorothy Moore's music as "admired for its high level of artistry and its seriousness of purpose." She wrote a song called A Little Whimsy in 1982. This was her playful response to people who said her music was always too serious.

Dorothy believed that being a singer herself helped her write really well for voices. She liked to take her time composing. She preferred to have a finished piece ready for its first performance. This was different from some composers who might keep changing their music.

Famous Works

One of her well-known pieces is From the Dark Tower (1970). This is a "song cycle," which means a group of songs meant to be performed together. It was written for Hilda Harris, a talented opera singer. This work was later recorded and released. It includes eight songs based on poems by Black writers. These include Dream Variation by Langston Hughes and the title song, From the Dark Tower, by Countee Cullen. It is performed by a singer, a cello, and a piano.

Moore's only opera, Frederick Douglass, premiered on June 28, 1985. It was performed at City College of New York by Opera Ebony. The opera told the story of Frederick Douglass and his wife. One critic described it as "a series of musical meditations on love, death, religion, political oppression and eventual deliverance."

Selected Compositions

Dorothy Rudd Moore created many different types of music. She wrote song cycles, pieces for small groups of instruments, orchestral music, and an opera. Here are some of her selected works:

• Twelve Quatrains from the Rubaiyat, song cycle, 1962
• Symphony No. 1, 1963
• Three Pieces for violin and piano, 1967
• Modes for string quartet, 1968
• Lament for Nine Instruments, 1969
• Moods for viola and cello, 1969
• Songs from the Dark Tower, song cycle, 1970
• Dirge and Deliverance for cello and piano, 1971
• Dream and Variations for piano, 1974
• Sonnets on Love, Rosebuds, and Death for soprano, violin, and piano, 1975
• In Celebration, a collage to poems by Langston Hughes, 1977
• A Little Whimsy, piano, 1982
• Frederick Douglass, opera, 1985
• Transcencion, 1986