Composers

George Walker

1922 - 2018

About

George Walker (1922-2018) has earned international recognition both as a piano soloist and as a composer. He has been commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Philharmonic, the Eastman School of Music, the Fromm Foundation, the Kindler Foundation, the Boys Choir of Harlem, the Maryland International Piano Competition, the David Foundation, Frederic Moyer and the Astral Foundation, and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. His works have been performed by the Boston Symphony, National Symphony, the symphony orchestras of Detroit, Dallas, Minneapolis, Denver, Buffalo, the London Symphony, and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Walker received a four year scholarship to Oberlin Conservatory where he earned his Bachelor of Music degree at the age of 18. He received his Artist Diploma in piano and composition from the Curtis Institute of Music and a Diploma in piano from the American Academy in Fontainebleau, France. His Doctor of Musical Arts degree is from the Eastman School of Music. Some of the world-renowned musicians with whom he studied are Rudolf Serkin, Rosario Scalero, Nadia Boulanger, Gregory Piatigorsky, William Primrose, and Gian Carlo Menotti. Walker's many awards include honorary doctorates from Lafayette College and Oberlin Conservatory. He has received numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and an award from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. Additional fellowships were received from the Fulbright Commission, John Hay Whitney Foundation, the Guggenheim and Rockefellow Foundation, the MacDowell Colony and Yaddo. To crown this distinguished list of achievements, George Walker was awarded the Pulitzer prize in 1996 for his composition, Lilacs. This was the first time a Black musician had been so honored. Walker is professor emeritus at Rutgers University. He has over sixty published works and numerous recordings on the CBS, Desto, Mercury, orion, Serenus, Gun-Mar, and Da Camera Magna labels. Major works appearing on these issues include his Piano and Trombone Concerti, four piano sonatas, Variations for Orchestra, eleven songs for voice and piano, sonatas for violin and piano, and cello and piano, a brass quintet, and his Lyric for Strings.

Related Information

http://www.darryltaylor.com/alliance/composers/george-t-walker

Works by George Walker

Title Collection Voice Type Range Poet
A Red, Red, Rose Voice A#3 - G5 Robert Burns
Bequest Emily Dickinson Songs for High Voice & Piano Voice E4 - A5 Emily Dickinson
Ev'ry Time I Feel De Spirit Voice F4 - Ab5 Biblical
Hey Nonny No Medium E4 - D5 anonymous
I Got a Letter From Jesus Medium D4 - F#5 Biblical
I have no life but this Emily Dickinson Songs for High Voice & Piano Voice E4 - A5 Emily Dickinson
I Never Saw A Moor Three Songs for Voice & Piano Voice E4 - A5 Emily Dickinson
I Went to Heaven Voice F#4 - E5 Emily Dickinson
In Time of Silver Rain Three Songs for Voice & Piano Voice D4 - B5 Langston Hughes
Lament Voice A3 - F5 Countee Cullen
Lilacs Voice B3 - C6 Walt Whitman
Mary Wore Three Links of Chain Medium E4 - E5 Biblical
Mother Goose Three Songs for Voice & Piano Voice F#4 - G5 Irene Sekula
Nocturne Voice C#4 - G#5 Donald S. Hayes
Response Voice E4 - E5 Paul Laurence Dunbar
So We'll Go No More A-Roving Voice D4 - G5 Lord Byron
Softly, Blow Lightly Voice C#4 - G5 Donald S. Hayes
Sweet, Let Me Go Voice D4 - G#5 anonymous
Take, O Take Those Lips Away Tenor E3 - C4 William Shakespeare
The Bereaved Maid Voice D4 - F5 anonymous
Velvet Shoes Soprano D4 - G5 Elinor Wylie
What if I say, I shall not wait? Emily Dickinson Songs for High Voice & Piano Voice D4 - B5 Emily Dickinson
Wild Nights Emily Dickinson Songs for High Voice & Piano Voice F4 - C6 Emily Dickinson
With Rue My Heart is Laden Voice C#4 - F#5 A. E. Housman
Title Published Size Solo with Ensemble Duration Range Level Orchestration
An Eastman Overture Yes Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(4).Hp: Str
Antifonys Yes Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional 1(d Picc).1.1.0: 1.1.1.0: Timp.Perc(2).Clst: Str
Antifonys for String Orchestra Yes String Orchestra 5-10 Professional str
Cantata Yes Full Orchestra Soprano, Tenor 10-20 Professional Soprano, Tenor Soli: SATB or Boys Chorus: 1(d AFl).2.0.0: 0.3.0.0: Timp.Perc(2).Organ: Str
Cello Concerto Yes Full Orchestra Cello 20+ Professional Cello Solo: 2+Picc(d AFl).2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(4).Clst(d Hpsd).Hp: Str
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra Piano 20+ Professional Piano Solo: 2+Picc.2.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(4).Celesta.Hp: Str
Concerto for Trombone and Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra Trombone 10-20 Professional Trombone Solo: 2+Picc.2.2.2+Cbsn: 4.2.2.1: Timp.Perc(3).Clst.Hp: Str
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra Violin 20+ Professional Violin Solo: 2+Picc(2dAFl).2+EH.2+BCl.2: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(4).Hps(amplified).Clst.Hp.Gtr: Str
Da Camera Yes String Orchestra | Chamber 10-20 Professional Violin, Cello, Piano, String Orchestra, Harp, Celesta (amplified), Timpani, Percussion (2) and Optional String Ensemble (approx. 6.5.4.4.2 youth ens)
Dialogus for Cello and Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra Cello 10-20 Professional Cello Solo: 2+Picc+AFl.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(5).Pno.Clst.Hp: Str
Foils for Orchestra: Hommage a Saint George Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc.Pno.Hp: Str
Folksongs for Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2+Picc.2+EH.2.2: 2.2.2.1: Timp.Perc(6). Pno(d Hpscd).Hp: Str
Hoopla: A Touch of Glee Yes Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional 2.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn:4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc.Hp: Str
Icarus in Orbit Yes Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional 2+Picc.2.2.2: 3.3.2.1: Timp.Perc(4).Hp.Clst: Str
Lilacs for Voice and Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra Soprano |Tenor 5-10 Professional Soprano or Tenor Solo: 2+Picc+AFl.2+EH.2+BCl.2: 4.4.4.1: Timp.Perc(4).Harpsichord.Hp: Str
Lyric for Strings Yes String Orchestra 5-10 Professional str
Lyric for Strings: for Young Musicians Yes String Orchestra 5-10 Professional str
Mass Yes Full Orchestra Soprano, Alto, Tanor, Bass 20+ Professional Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass Soli: SATB Chorus: 2+Picc+AFl.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(5).Organ.Hp: Str
Orpheus Yes Chamber Orchestra Narrator (Baritone), 3 speakers (Tenor, Bass, Soprano) 10-20 Professional Narrator (Baritone), 3 speakers (Tenor, Bass, Soprano)1.1.1.1: 2.2.1.0: Timp.Perc(2).Pno.Hp: Str
Overture in Praise of Folly Yes Full Orchestra 5-10 Professional 2+picc, 2+eh, 2+bcl, 2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp, Perc (5), Piano (+celeste), Hp: Str
Pageant and Proclamation Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(4).Pno(d Clst).Hp: Str
Poeme Yes Full Orchestra Violin 10-20 Professional Violin Solo: 1(d Picc).2.1(d BCl).1: 2.1.1.1: Timp.Perc(3).Pno.Hp: Str
Serenata Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2(1d Picc).2.2.2: 2.2.1.0: Timp.Perc(3).Pno: Str
Sinfonia No. 1 Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(6).Pno(d Hpscd).Hp: Str
Sinfonia No. 2 Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(3).Guitar.Pno.Hp: Str
Sinfonia No. 3 Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.4.3.1: Timp.Perc(4).Clst.Hp: Str
Sinfonia No. 4 "Strands" Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2,1 2(1) 2(1) 2,1; 4331; Timp, Perc, Pno, Hp; Stgs
Sinfonia No. 5 "Visions" Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional SATB Chorus; 2,1 2,1 2,1 2,1; 4431; timp, 4 perc. hp, pno, hpchd (elec.); stgs
Tangents for Chamber Orchestra Yes Chamber Orchestra 5-10 Professional 2.2.2 (1d BCl).2.: 2.2.1.0: Timp.Perc(2).Pno(d Clsta).Harp: Str
Variations for Orchestra Yes Full Orchestra 10-20 Professional 2+AFl+Picc.2+EH.2+BCl.2+Cbsn: 4.3.3.1: Timp.Perc(5).Pno(d Clst).Hp: Str
Violin Concerto Yes Full Orchestra Violin 20+ Professional 3332, 4431, timp, perc, hps (amplified), clst, hp, gtr, str
Composer Title Work Instrumentation Level Number of Movements Accompanied Size Duration Range
George Walker Bauble Piano 1 No Solo
George Walker Chorale Prelude on Liebster Jesu, wir sing hier Organ 1 No Solo
George Walker Prayer: An Offertory Organ 1 No Solo
George Walker Prelude and Caprice Piano Advanced 1 No Solo
George Walker Sonata No. 1 Piano 3 No Solo
George Walker Sonata No. 2 Piano 4 No Solo