MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representative Clark

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING MUSICIAN WILLIAM GRANT STILL AND CELEBRATING HIS MUSIC.

WHEREAS, William Grant Still was born on May 11, 1895, in Woodville, Mississippi, to parents who were teachers and musicians of Negro, Indian, Spanish, Irish and Scotch bloodlines; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Still's musical education began with violin lessons from a private teacher in Little Rock, Arkansas, where his family moved after his father passed away; and

WHEREAS, at Wilberforce University, Dr. Still earned a bachelor of science degree, but spent most of his time conducting the band, learning to play various instruments and making initial attempts to compose and to orchestrate; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Still also studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, which was financed at first by a legacy from his father and later by a scholarship established just for him by the faculty; and

WHEREAS, after college, Dr. Still entered the world of commercial music playing in orchestras and orchestrating, playing specifically the violin, cello and oboe; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Still worked for music greats such as W.C. Handy, Don Voorhees, Sophie Tucker, Paul Whiteman, Willard Robison, Artie Shaw and, for several years, arranged and conducted the "Deep River Hour" over CBS and WOR; and

WHEREAS, while in Boston playing the oboe in the "Shuffle Along" orchestra, Dr. Still applied to study at the New England Conservatory with George Chadwick and was rewarded with a scholarship due to Mr. Chadwick's own vision and generosity; and

WHEREAS, in the twenties, Dr. Still made his first appearance as a serious composer in New York and was given commissions from the CBS, the New York World's Fair, Paul Whiteman, the League of Composers, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Southern Conference Educational Fund and the American Accordionists' Association; and

WHEREAS, throughout his career, Dr. Still received numerous awards, including the Jubilee prize of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for the best Overture to celebrate its Jubilee season with a work entitled "Festive Overture," a Freedoms Foundation Award for his "To You, America!" which honored West Point's Sesquicentennial Celebration and the prize offered by the United States Committee for the United Nations, the N.F.M.C. and the Aeolian Music Foundation for his orchestral work, "The Peaceful Land," cited as the best musical composition honoring the United Nations; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Still was awarded honorary degrees, including a Master of Music from Wilberforce University, a Doctor of Music from Howard University, Doctor of Music from Oberlin College, Doctor of Letters from Bates College, Doctor of Laws from the University of Arkansas, Doctor of Fine Arts from Pepperdine University and a Doctor of Music from the New England Conservatory, the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Southern California; and

WHEREAS, in 1939, Dr. Still married journalist and concert pianist, Verna Arvey, who became his principal collaborator, and they remained together until his death on December 3, 1978; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Still, known as the "Dean of Afro-American Composers," was the first African-American to write a major symphonic work performed by a major American orchestra, to conduct a major symphony orchestra in the United States and the Deep South, to conduct a major American network radio orchestra, to have an opera produced by a major American company and to have an opera televised over a national network in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Still wrote over 150 compositions, including operas, ballets, symphonies, chamber works and arrangements of folk themes, especially Negro spirituals, plus instrumental, choral and solo vocal works; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds it most appropriate to recognize and pay special tribute to an outstanding musician as Dr. William Grant Still, who was able to create music that was interesting to the greatest conductors of the day:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby memorialize the life and works of Dr. William Grant Still and celebrate the immortality of his music.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Dr. William Grant Still and members of the Capitol Press Corps.