Roger Donald Dickerson facts for kids
Roger Donald Dickerson, born on August 24, 1934, is a talented musician from New Orleans. He is known as a pianist, a composer (someone who writes music), and a teacher.
Contents
Roger Dickerson's Musical Journey
Early Life and Learning
Roger grew up in a family full of music. He started playing the piano when he was just 8 years old. In elementary school, he learned to play brass instruments like the French horn, baritone, and tuba. He continued playing the trombone in college.
From a young age, Roger was very interested in the music of the French Quarter in New Orleans. When he was 15, he played in a popular band called "Roger Dickerson and his Groovy Boys." They performed at high schools and community centers, showing how much New Orleans music influenced him.
Roger's uncle, Wallace Davenport, was a famous jazz trumpeter. Wallace played many styles of jazz, from traditional to bebop. From his uncle, Roger learned important musical ideas like harmony (how notes sound good together), counterpoint (how different melodies work together), and orchestration (how to arrange music for different instruments).
College and Advanced Studies
After high school, Roger studied music at Dillard University, earning his first music degree in 1955. He then went on to get a higher degree, a Master's, from Indiana University in 1957. There, he studied with a famous teacher named Bernhard Heiden.
Music and Travel
After finishing his Master's degree, Roger joined the United States Army. He played in Army bands all over Europe for two years. After his time in the Army, he received a special Fulbright Scholarship. This allowed him to travel to Vienna, Austria, where he continued to study music with teachers like Karl Schiske and Alfred Uhl.
In 1965, Roger became a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). This is a group that helps protect the rights of musicians and composers. He also received important requests to write music. For example, the Rockefeller Foundation asked him to create a series of concert pieces in 1972. In 1976, the New Orleans Centennial Commission asked him to write his "New Orleans Concerto." This special concerto was even featured in a 1978 PBS television show called New Orleans Concerto.
Teaching and Influence
Today, Roger Dickerson is a professor emeritus at Southern University of New Orleans (SUNO). This means he is a retired professor who is still highly respected by the university. At SUNO, he was the University Choir Director and the Music Coordinator. Roger's music often shows the influence of jazz and blues, along with other parts of New Orleans culture.
Roger Dickerson's Compositions
Roger Dickerson has written many different kinds of music throughout his career. He has composed pieces for large groups of instruments (orchestral), for singers (vocal), and for smaller groups of instruments or solo players (chamber and solo instrumental).
Music for Orchestras and Bands
Some of his works for larger groups include:
- Concert Overture (1957)
- Essay for band (1958)
- Fugue 'n' Blues for jazz orchestra (1959)
- New Orleans Concerto for piano and orchestra (1976)
Music for Voices
He has also written many pieces for choirs and solo singers, such as:
- Fair Dillard for choir (1955)
- Music I Heard for soprano and piano (1956)
- The Negro Speaks of Rivers for soprano and piano (1961)
Music for Smaller Groups and Solo Instruments
Roger Dickerson has composed a variety of pieces for smaller groups of instruments and solo performers, including:
- Prekussion for percussion ensemble (1954)
- Sonatina for piano (1956)
- String Quartet (1956)
- Concert Pieces for Beginning String Players (1972)
