James Furman facts for kids

James B. Furman (born January 23, 1937 – died September 9, 1989) was an American composer and college professor. He wrote many different kinds of music.

He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. When he was six, he started learning piano from his aunt. In 1953, at just 16 years old, he won a big competition. He submitted a music piece to the Louisville Philharmonic Society's Young Artist Competition. His winning piece was played by the Louisville Symphony Orchestra. This also allowed him to perform as a solo musician with the orchestra.

His Education and Teachers

James Furman studied music at the University of Louisville. He earned two degrees there: one in music education and another in music theory and composition. He continued his studies at Brandeis and Harvard Universities. There, he completed the work needed for a Ph.D. His music teachers included famous composers like Irving Fine and Arthur Berger.

Awards and Special Recognitions

James Furman received many awards and honors throughout his life. He won the Omicron Delta Kappa Award. This award recognized him as the top music student in his graduating class at the University of Louisville. He also won first place in the Brookline Library Composition Competition. The National Federation of Music Clubs gave him two awards. These were for his important contributions to American music.

His Career in Music

During the 1960s, Furman worked as a musical director, arranger, and pianist. He toured the world with the Army's "Rolling Along Show." He made his first New York appearance as a conductor at Town Hall. He also directed choirs for two important projects. One was a BBC film about the life of composer Charles Ives. The other was a special concert by the Leonard Bernstein American Symphony Orchestra. This concert celebrated Ives's 100th birthday in Danbury, Connecticut, on July 4, 1974.

Furman also had a long teaching career. He taught in public schools in Louisville (1958–59) and Mamaroneck, New York (1964–65). Later, he taught at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, starting in 1965.

His Compositions

James Furman's music mostly includes choral works (music for choirs), songs, and chamber music (music for small groups of instruments). Some of his most famous pieces are:

• I Have a Dream (1971): A large musical work for orchestra and voices.
• Hehlehlooyuh (1976): A piece for a choir singing without instruments.
• Variants (1963): A trio for three instruments.
• Four Little Foxes (1965): A suite for choir.
• Declaration of Independence (1977): A piece for orchestra and a narrator.

Besides composing and teaching, he was also an organist and choir director at churches.

His Legacy

James Furman's work is mentioned in many books and studies. One detailed study of his choral music was part of a doctoral paper by Effie Gardner. His music has been published in many forms. This includes pieces for orchestra, vocal music, chamber music, and even Afro-American gospel music. He was also working on a book about the history and performance of Afro-American Gospel Music.

Selected Works

James Furman composed a wide variety of musical pieces. Here are some examples:

• A babe is born in Bethlehem (1978): A piece for choir.
• Ave Maria (1971): For a large choir.
• Battle scenes (1976): For amplified harpsichord and band.
• Born in a manger; Christmas hymn (1978): For choir.
• Come thou long-expected Jesus (1971): For choir.
• Four Little Foxes (1963): For soprano, alto, and choir. This piece was dedicated to his aunt, Permila Hansbrough.
• Glory to God in the highest (1978): For choir.
• Go tell it on the mountain (1971): For choir, brass, percussion, and more.
• Gospel anthem (1971): For solo singers, choir, and instruments.
• Hehlehlooyuh; A joyful expression (1976): For soprano and choir. This piece was dedicated to his mother, Ollie Furman.
• Highijin; The seven Buddhist gods of luck (1980): For alto saxophone and piano.
• Hold on (1971): For solo voice, choir, and piano.
• I Have a Dream (oratorio) (1970; revised 1971): A large work for baritone, choir, and orchestra. It was dedicated to the memory of Martin Luther King, Jr.
• I have a friend in Jesus (1978): For voice and piano or organ.
• Jupiter shall emerge (1978): For a large choir, based on text by Walt Whitman.
• Let us break bread together (1957): For choir.
• Moments in gospel (1985): For orchestra.
• Deux Mouvements (1982): For flute. click for MP3
• Quartet (1986): For strings.
• Recitative and aria (1976): For horn and woodwind instruments.
• Salve regina (1966): For choir.
• Some glorious day (1971): For alto, choir, and piano.
• Sonata (1982): For piano.
• Sonata (1977): For violin.
• Songs of juvenilia; Nursery rhyme cycle (1956, revised 1984): For high voice and piano, based on nursery rhymes.
• Suite (1976): For clarinet.
• The Declaration of Independence (1976): For narrator and orchestra.
• The quiet life (1968): For solo singers and choir, dedicated to Irving Fine.
• There is a balm in Gilead (1984): For alto, baritone, and choir.
• Trampin¹ (1959): For mezzo-soprano and choir.
• Variants (1963): For violin, piano, and technician. This piece won an award.