George Walker (composer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Walker
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Walker seated at the piano (c. early 1940s)
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| Born | June 27, 1922 Washington, D.C., U.S.
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| Died | August 23, 2018 (aged 96) Montclair, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Spouse(s) |
Helen Walker-Hill
(m. 1960; div. 1975) |
| Children | 2 (Gregory and Ian) |
George Theophilus Walker (born June 27, 1922 – died August 23, 2018) was an American composer and pianist. He made history as the first African American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. He received this important award in 1996 for his musical piece called Lilacs. George Walker was married to Helen Walker-Hill and had two sons, Gregory and Ian.
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About George Walker
George Walker started playing the piano when he was just five years old. He loved music from a very young age. When he was 14, he was accepted into the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. This is a special school for talented musicians.
Later, he studied at the Curtis Institute of Music. There, he learned piano from the famous Rudolf Serkin. He also studied composition, which is the art of creating music. He earned his highest degree from the Eastman School of Music.
Walker taught music at Rutgers University in New Jersey for many years. He retired from teaching in 1992.
His Music and Compositions
George Walker wrote many different kinds of music. His first big work for an orchestra was called Address for Orchestra. One of his most famous pieces is Lyric for Strings. This piece is played by orchestras all over the world.
He composed over 90 musical works in his lifetime. These included five sonatas for piano, a mass, and many songs. He also wrote pieces for different instruments like cello, violin, and organ. Big orchestras like the New York Philharmonic and the Boston Symphony Orchestra asked him to write music for them.
George Walker had two sons. His son Gregory is a violinist and composer, just like him. His other son, Ian, is a playwright. George Walker passed away in 2018 at the age of 96.
Awards and Special Honors
In 1996, George Walker achieved a huge milestone. He became the first black composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. This was for his work Lilacs, which was first performed by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The mayor of Washington, D.C., declared June 17, 1997, as "George Walker Day." This was a special way to honor him in his hometown.
In 1997, he received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. This is a high award given by the Governor of North Carolina. In 1999, he was chosen to be part of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This is a group of the country's most talented artists. The next year, he was added to the American Classical Music Hall of Fame. This honor celebrates important classical musicians.
Throughout his life, George Walker received many other awards and honors. He earned several honorary doctoral degrees from different colleges. These degrees recognized his amazing contributions to music. He also received special fellowships and awards from important foundations.
In 2009, he published his autobiography. It was called Reminiscences of an American Composer and Pianist. In this book, he shared stories about his life and musical journey.
Walker's Musical Style
George Walker's music was influenced by many different sounds. He used ideas from jazz, folk songs, and church hymns. He also used classical music styles. He didn't want to stick to just one type of music. Instead, he used his wide knowledge to create his own unique sound.
For example, his piece Spatials for Piano uses a modern technique called twelve-tone serial music. But he could also write music that sounded like popular songs, such as "Leaving." Some of his pieces even have hints of old black spirituals.
His piano skills were also reflected in his compositions. His Piano Sonata No. 2 is a challenging piece. It has changing rhythms and uses more than one key at once. This makes it exciting for performers and listeners. In 2021, BBC Radio 3 dedicated five hours to his music. They featured him as "Composer of the Week."
Major Compositions
Here are some of George Walker's important musical works:
- A Red, Red Rose for Voice and Piano
- Abu for Narrator and Chamber Ensembles
- Address for Orchestra
- An Eastman Overture
- Antifonys for Chamber Orchestra
- Bleu for Unaccompanied Violin
- Cantata for Soprano, Tenor, Boys Choir, and Chamber Orchestra
- Canvas for Wind Ensemble and Narrator
- Cello Concerto
- Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
- Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra (1957)
- Concerto for Violin and Orchestra
- Da Camera
- Dialogus for Cello and Orchestra
- Emily Dickinson Songs
- Five Fancies for Clarinet and Piano Four Hands
- Foils for Orchestra (Hommage a Saint George)
- Folk Songs for Orchestra
- Guido's Hand
- Hommage to Saint George
- Hoopla: A Touch of Glee
- Icarus In Orbit
- In Praise of Folly
- Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra
- Lyric for Strings
- Mass for Soloists, Chorus, and Orchestra
- Modus
- Movements for Cello and Orchestra
- Music for 3
- Music for Brass (Sacred and Profane)
- Music for Two Pianos
- Nine Songs for Voice and Piano
- Orpheus for Narrator and Chamber Orchestra
- Overture: In Praise of Folly
- Pageant and Proclamation
- Perimeters for Clarinet and Piano
- Piano Sonata No. 1
- Piano Sonata No. 2
- Piano Sonata No. 3
- Piano Sonata No. 4
- Piano Sonata No. 5
- Poem for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble
- Poeme for Violin and Orchestra
- Psalms for Chorus
- Serenata for Chamber Orchestra
- Sinfonia No. 1
- Sinfonia No. 2
- Sinfonia No. 3
- Sinfonia No. 4
- Sinfonia No. 5 "Visions"
- Sonata for Cello and Piano
- Sonata for Two Pianos
- Sonata for Viola and Piano
- Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1
- Spatials for Piano
- Spektra for Piano
- Spires for Organ
- String Quartet No. 1
- String Quartet No. 2
- Tangents for Chamber Orchestra
- Three Pieces for Organ
- Two Pieces for Organ
- Variations for Orchestra
- Violin and Piano Sonata No. 2
- Windset for Woodwind Quintet
