Wesley LaViolette explained

Wallace Wesley LaViolette (4 Jan 1894 Saint James, Minnesota - 29 Jul 1978 Escondido, California) was an American musician who composed, conducted, lectured, and wrote about music. He was also a poet and music theorist. As an educator, he mentored Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Giuffre, John Graas, George Perle, Florence Price,[1] Bob Carter,[2] Bob Florence and Robert Erickson and writer William Irwin Thompson. Laviolette was an important figure on the West coast jazz scene of the 1950s.

Career

LaViolette received his undergraduate degree in music from Northwestern University in 1917. He earned three graduate degrees. From 1923 to 1933, LaViolette was dean of the Chicago Musical College. He served as director for DePaul University School of Music from 1933 until 1938.[3] In 1930 he received the David Bispham Medal Award for his opera Falstaff[4] (or possibly Shylock.[5] [6])

In the 1950s LaViolette was the teacher for many writers and players associated with the West Coast jazz scene. LaViolette supported their work, calling them "America's musical contribution to tomorrow ... I don't always LIKE what they do - but I respect it."[7]

Selected compositions

Collections

Career positions

References

General references

Inline citations

Notes and References

  1. Julie Anne Sadie, Rhian Samuel, The Norton/Grove Dictionary of Women Composers, pg. 374, MacMillan Press (1995)
  2. [Leonard Feather]
  3. Web site: Forum Unit Will Hear Analysis Of Art. Anonymous. 6 Dec 1947. Newspapers.com. 3. 23 Feb 2018.
  4. Web site: Re: David Bispham Memorial Medal. Kosovsky. Bob. 5 Oct 2000. OPERA-L Archives. 23 Feb 2018.
  5. Web site: American Opera and Its Composers. Hipsher. Edward Ellsworth. 1934. The Internet Archive. 296. 23 Feb 2018.
  6. Membership Handbook for the American Opera Society of Chicago, "David Bispham Medal Awardees." The archives of the American Opera Society of Chicago, Inc. are on file in the Newberry Library, Chicago, as part of their permanent records.
  7. Web site: Bach And Jazz Are Much Alike. Savoy. Maggie. Maggie Savoy. 15 April 1959. Newspapers.com. 18. 23 Feb 2018.
  8. New LaViolette Works, The Dallas Morning News, Nov. 2, 1941
  9. http://lajazzinstitute.org/index.php?c=3#tdwlvc The Los Angeles Jazz Institute official website
  10. Report of the Librarian of Congress, Library of Congress, pg. 134 (1936)