Composers

David Baker

1931 - 2016

About

David Baker (1931-2016) He graduated from Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis before attending Indiana University, earning a Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1953 and a Master of Music Education degree in 1954. He studied with a wide range of master teachers, performers, and composers, including Thomas Beversdorf, Bobby Brookmeyer, Bernard Heiden, J. J. Johnson, George Russell, William Russo, Gunther Schuller, and Janos Starker, among others. Originally a gifted trombonist, he switched to the cello after sustaining jaw injuries in a car accident. He began his teaching career at Missouri’s Lincoln University in 1955. David was a regular on the thriving Indianapolis jazz scene of the era—especially on its historic Indiana Avenue—with the likes of fellow jazz giants Jimmy Coe, Slide Hampton, Freddie Hubbard, J. J. Johnson, Wes Montgomery, Larry Ridley, and David Young. They are all included in the “Jazz Masters of Indiana Avenue” mural on Capitol Avenue in Indianapolis. Top in his field in several disciplines, David taught and performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan. He co-founded the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and served as its conductor and musical and artistic director from 1990 to 2012, becoming maestro emeritus on December 1, 2012. As a composer, David was commissioned by more than 100 individuals and ensembles, including Josef Gingold, Harvey Phillips, Ruggiero Ricci, Janos Starker, Beaux Arts Trio, New York Philharmonic, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Fisk Jubilee Singers, Louisville Orchestra, Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Audubon String Quartet, and International Horn Society. His compositions, tallying over 2,000 in number, range from jazz pieces and symphonic works, to chamber music and film scores. A dedicated music educator as well as composer and performer, David’s involvement in music organizations included membership on the National Council on the Arts; board positions for the American Symphony Orchestra League, Chamber Music America, Arts Midwest, and the Afro-American Bicentennial Hall of Fame/Museum; and past chairmanships of the Jazz Advisory Panel to the Kennedy Center and the Jazz/Folk/Ethnic Panel of the National Endowment for the Arts. He was past president and past vice president of the International Association for Jazz Education, past president of the National Jazz Service Organization, and senior consultant for music programs for the Smithsonian Institution. He served six times on the Pulitzer Prize Music Jury. David’s prolific body of work includes more than 65 recordings, 70 books, and 400 articles.

Related Information

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/arts/music/david-baker-who-helped-bring-jazz-studies-into-the-academy-dies-at-84.html

Works by David Baker

Title Collection Voice Type Range Poet
A Good Assassination Should be Quiet The Black Experience Voice C4 - Ab5 Mari Evans
A Song Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano Voice E4 - Bb5 Paul Laurence Dunbar
An Almost Death Give and Take Soprano Bb3 - A5 Terence Diggory
Borderline Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Lanston Hughes
Canonization II Give and Take Soprano Bb3 - A5 Terence Diggory
Death Is Riding Witness: Six Original Compositions in Spiritual Style Baritone G2 - Ab4 Traditional Text
Deliver My Soul Through This Vale of Tears - In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. High Voice B2 - C5 Psalm 22
Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel Witness: Six Original Compositions in Spiritual Style Baritone G2 - Ab4 Traditional Text
Early in the Morning The Black Experience Voice D4 - Ab5 Mari Evans
End Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Lanston Hughes
Fragments Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Lanston Hughes
Gethsemane Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Arna Bontemps
He Never Said A Mumbalin' Word Witness: Six Original Compositions in Spiritual Style Baritone G2 - Ab4 Traditional Text
I Who would Encompass Millions The Black Experience Voice C4 - Ab5 Mari Evans
If There Be Sorrow Through This Vale of Tears - In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. High Voice B2 - C5 Mari Evans
If There Be Sorrow Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano Voice C#4 - G#5 Mari Evans
Kid Stuff Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Frank Horne
My God Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me Through This Vale of Tears - In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. High Voice B2 - C5 Psalm 22
My Lord What A Morning Witness: Six Original Compositions in Spiritual Style Baritone G2 - Ab4 Traditional Text
Night: 4 Songs Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Lanston Hughes
Now That He Is Safely Dead Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Carl Wendell Hines, Jr.
Now That He is Safely Dead Through This Vale of Tears - In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. High Voice B2 - C5 Carl Hines
Parades to Hell Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano Voice B3 - Bb5 Solomon Edwards
Parades to Hell Through This Vale of Tears - In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. High Voice B2 - C5 Solomon Edwards
Poppy Flower Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Lanston Hughes
Religion Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Conrad Kent Rivers
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child Through This Vale of Tears - In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. High Voice B2 - C5 Traditional Text
Sorrow Song Witness: Six Original Compositions in Spiritual Style Baritone G2 - Ab4 Traditional Text
Status Symbol The Black Experience Voice C4 - F#5 Mari Evans
The Alarm Clock The Black Experience Voice C4 - F#5 Mari Evans
The Branch of a Green Tree Give and Take Soprano Bb3 - A5 Terence Diggory
The Funeral is All Give and Take Soprano Bb3 - A5 Terence Diggory
The Gift Give and Take Soprano Bb3 - A5 Terence Diggory
The Insurgent The Black Experience Voice C4 - Ab5 Mari Evans
The Optimist Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano Voice F4 - G5 Anonymous
The Rebel The Black Experience Voice Bb3 - G5 Mari Evans
The Smile Song Cycle for Soprano and Piano Voice C4 - Bb5 William Blake
They will not Tell Give and Take Soprano Bb3 - A5 Terence Diggory
Thou Dost Lay Me In The Dust of Death Through This Vale of Tears - In Memoriam: Martin Luther King, Jr. High Voice B2 - C5 Psalm 22
We Has A Hard Time Witness: Six Original Compositions in Spiritual Style Baritone G2 - Ab4 Traditional Text
Where Have You Gone Borderline Soprano C4 - Bb5 Mari Evans
Title Published Size Solo with Ensemble Duration Range Level Orchestration
Alabama Landscape Yes Full Orchestra Bass-Baritone 10-20 Professional 3333-4331-timp-2perc-str
Alto Saxophone Concerto "Lee Konitz" Yes Full Orchestra Alto Saxophone 20+ Professional Alto Saxophone Solo: 2(+Picc).2(+EH).2(+BCl).2(+CBsn): 4.3.3(+BTbn).1: Timp.Perc(2): Str
Black America: To The Memory of Martin Luther King Yes Chamber Soprano 10-20 Professional
Concertino for Cellular Phones Yes Full Orchestra Cell Phone Soloists 10-20 Professional 2[1.2/pic] 22 2[1.2/Cbn]-4331-timp-perc-str Cell phone soloists
Concerto for Brass Quintet and Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra Brass Quintet 10-20 Professional 3333-4323-timp-perc(2)-str
Concerto for Cello Yes Orchestra Cello 20+ Professional Cello Solo: AATTB Saxes: 0.5.4.1: Piano, Drums, Double Bass
Concerto for Tenor Saxophone and Chamber Orchestra Yes Chamber Tenor Sax 20+ Professional 2222-1210-tmp-perc-pf-dm-str Solo Tenor Saxophone
Concertpiece for Viola and Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra Viola 20+ Professional Viola Solo: 3.3.3.3: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(2).Hp: Str
Homage: Bartok, Bird, Duke Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 1111-0211-2perc-2hp -str
Images of Childhood Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 3333-4331-timp-2perc-str
Jazz Suite for chamber orchestra and rhythm section Yes Chamber 20+ Professional 2111-2210-perc-hp-pf-gtr-str
Jazz Suite for Clarinet and Orchestra: Three Ethnic Dances Yes Full Orchestra Clarinet 20+ Professional Clarinet Solo: 2+Picc.2.2.2: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(2).Pno.Jazz Double Bass: Str
Kosbro Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 3333/4331/timp.perc.xyl/pf/str
Le Chat Qui Peche Yes Full Orchestra Soprano, Jazz Quartet 20+ Professional 2+pic.2+ca.2+bcl.2+cbn/432+btbn.1/timp.perc/hp/str
Life Cycles Yes String Orchestra Tenor, Horn 10-20 Professional Tenor, Horn Soli: String Orchestra
Parallel Planes Yes Chamber Alto Saxophone 20+ Professional 1.1.1.1: 1.1.1.0: Timp.Perc(2).Pno: Str
Refractions Yes String Orchestra 20+ Professional str
Shades of Blue Yes Full Orchestra 20+ Professional 2222-4331-timp-3perc-pf-str
The Masque of the Read Death Ballet Suite Yes Full Orchestra 20+ Professional 2[1.2/pic] 22 2[1.2/Cbn]-4331-timp-2perc-str
The Soul of '76 Yes Stage Band + Jazz-Blues-Rock ensemble 20+ Professional 5-sx (2-asx, 2-tsx, 1bsx), 5-tpt, 4-trb, 1-tb, ebgt, prc, pn, db
Through This Veil of Tears Yes Chamber Soprano | Tenor 20+ Professional Piano Quintet