William L. Dawson (composer) facts for kids

William Levi Dawson (born September 26, 1899 – died May 2, 1990) was a very talented American composer, choir director, and music teacher. He is best known for his beautiful arrangements of traditional African-American spirituals and his powerful Negro Folk Symphony.

Early Life and Education

William Dawson was born in Anniston, Alabama, and was of African American heritage. When he was just 12 years old, in 1912, he bravely ran away from home to focus on studying music. He went to the Tuskegee Institute (which is now a university). There, he learned from the school's president, Booker T. Washington.

To pay for his studies, Dawson worked hard as a music librarian and helped out in the school's farming division. He was also very active in music, joining Tuskegee's choir, band, and orchestra. He composed music and traveled a lot with the Tuskegee Singers for five years. By the time he finished his studies in 1921, he had learned to play most musical instruments!

After Tuskegee, Dawson earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the Horner Institute of Fine Arts. He continued his studies at the Chicago Musical College and later received his master's degree from the American Conservatory of Music.

Music Career and Teaching

Early in his career, William Dawson played the trombone. He performed with the Redpath Chautauqua and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 1927 to 1930.

He began teaching music in public schools in Kansas City. Then, from 1931 to 1956, he taught at the Tuskegee Institute. During his time there, he brought in many talented teachers who later became famous in music. He also made the Tuskegee Institute Choir incredibly well-known around the world. In 1932, the choir was invited to sing at New York City's famous Radio City Music Hall for a whole week, performing six times a day!

Composing Music

Dawson started composing music when he was young. One of his early pieces, a Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano, was performed by the Kansas City Symphony. He wrote music for orchestras and choirs, but he is most famous for his arrangements of spirituals. Spirituals are a type of religious folk song created by African Americans.

His most famous work is the Negro Folk Symphony, which he wrote in 1934. It got a lot of attention when it was first performed by Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Dawson later changed the symphony in 1952, adding African rhythms after he visited West Africa.

Some of his most popular spiritual arrangements include "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel", "Jesus Walked the Lonesome Valley", "Talk about a Child That Do Love Jesus", and "King Jesus Is a-Listening".

William Dawson's arrangements of spirituals are still widely published and performed by school, college, and community choirs today. People often say that his music has a rich sound and shows his amazing understanding of how voices can be used.

Dawson married a pianist named Cornelia Lampton in 1927, but she sadly passed away in 1928. William Dawson himself passed away in Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of 90.

Awards and Recognition

William Dawson received many honors throughout his life for his contributions to music:

• Honorary Doctor of Music from Tuskegee University, 1956.
• Award of Merit from the University of Pennsylvania Glee Club for his music for male choirs, 1968.
• Inducted into the Alabama Arts Hall of Fame, 1975.
• Honorary doctorate from Lincoln University, 1978.
• Alabama Arts Award, 1980.
• Honorary doctorate from Ithaca College, 1982.
• Alumni Merit Award from Tuskegee Institute, 1983.
• Inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, 1989.
• Inducted into the Alabama Music Educators Association Hall of Fame (in its very first group of honorees), 2008.
• Honored on the American Choral Directors Association Wall of Honor.

Important Musical Works