Composers
Ulysses Kay
1915 - 1995About
Ulysses Kay (1915-1995)was an African American composer, conductor and professor. Born in Tuscan, Arizona, Kay began playing the piano at six years old with William A. Ferguson, under the encouragement of his uncle and later learned to play the violin. However he became consumed with the saxophone, when he was introduced to the instrument by his step-sister. Kay received a B.M. (1938) from the University of Arizona and an M.M. in composition (1940) from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied with Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers. He also studied with Paul Hindermith at the Berkshire Music Center (1941), Yale University (1942), and Otto Luening at Columbia University. In the summer of 1965, he was visiting professor at Boston University, and then at the University of California (1966-1967). He was named Distinguished Professor of Music in 1972 at the Herbert H. Lehman College of the City University of New York where he was initially engaged in 1968, retiring in 1988. In 1975 he was Hubert H. Humphrey Lecturer at Macalester College (St. Paul). He held the Mu Phi Epsilon Endowed Chair at the Brevard Music Center in 1979. Kay has received numerous awards and honors; among them are: the 1965 State Department Cultural Exchange for American Composers to Russian, the Ditson, Rosenwald, and Guggenheim Fellowships, the Prix de Rome (twice), and honorary doctorates. Kay has written extensively, producing approximately 140 musical works. His compositions include: Markings, Of New Horizons, Three Pieces After Blake, Fantasy Variations, Choral Triptych, Umbrian Science, and the operas Jubilee, The Juggler of Our Lady, and Fredrick Douglass.
Related Information
http://chevalierdesaintgeorges.homestead.com/kay.html#15, http://www.darryltaylor.com/alliance/composers/ulysses-simpson-kay
Works by Ulysses Kay
Title | Collection | Voice Type | Range | Poet |
---|---|---|---|---|
Contemplation | Three Pieces After Blake | Soprano | C#4 - A5 | William Blake |
I. Over the lightning Palisades… | Jersey Hours | Voice | E4 -G5 | Donald Dorr |
II. The nakedness of rain… | Jersey Hours | Voice | Eb4 - Gb5 | Donald Dorr |
III. The city gleams serene… | Jersey Hours | Voice | E4 - Gb5 | Donald Dorr |
Mad Song | Three Pieces After Blake | Soprano | D4 - G5 | William Blake |
To the Evening Star | Three Pieces After Blake | Soprano | C#4 - Ab5 | William Blake |
Title | Published | Size | Solo with Ensemble | Duration Range | Level | Orchestration |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Dances for String Orchestra | Yes | String Orchestra | 20+ | Professional | str | |
A covenant for our time; Once there was a man | Yes | Full Orchestra + Chorus | Narrator | 10-20 | Professional | |
A short overture, W27 | Yes | Full Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | 2222 (p), 2210, timp, perc, strings | |
Admiral Byrd, W75 | Yes | Chamber | 20+ | Professional | 1111; 2220; 2 perc, harp; strings | |
Ancient Saga: A Design for Modern Dance | Yes | String Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | Pf - Str | |
Aulos | Yes | Chamber | Flute | 10-20 | Professional | 0000-2000-perc-str |
Brief Elegy | Yes | String Orchestra | Oboe | 5-10 | Professional | Oboe - strings |
Chariots | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 3[1.2.3/Pic] 3[1.2.Eh] 3[1.2.Bcl] 3[1.2.Cbn] - 4331 - Tmp+3Perc - Hp - Str | |
Choral Triptych | Yes | String Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | Str SATB Chorus | |
Concerto for Oboe | Yes | Full Orchestra | Oboe | 10-20 | Professional | 2222 4210 Timp Strings, Solo Oboe |
Concerto for Orchestra | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2222 - 4331 - Tmp+3Perc - Str | |
Danse Calinda | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2[1.2/Pic] 1 2 1 - 2221 - Tmp+Perc - Pf - Str | |
Evocation | No | Full Orchestra | Professional | 1[1/pc] 1 2[1.2/bcl]-3-tpt, 2-trb, tmp, prc, pn, str | ||
Fantasy Variations | Yes | Concert Band | 10-20 | Professional | 2[1.2/Pic] 2 2 2 - 4331 - Tmp+Perc - str | |
Five Mosaics | No | Full Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | 1111-2110-tmp, prc, cel, str | |
Frederick Douglass - opera | Yes | Full Orchestra | Professional | 2[1.2/Pic] 2 2 2[1.2/bcl] - 4 3 2 3[3/btr] - Tmp+Perc - Str | ||
Harlem children’s suite, W120 | Yes | Youth Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | ||
Inscriptions from Whitman | Yes | Full Orchestra | 20+ | Professional | 2[1.2./picc] 223-4331-timp-perc-hp-str SATB chorus | |
Markings | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 3[1.2.3/picc] 3[1.2.3/Eh] 3[1.2.3/Bcl] 3[1.2.3/Cbn]-4331-timp-perc(4)- str | |
Of New Horizons | Yes | Full Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | 3[1.2.3/picc] 3[1.2.3/Eh] 3[1.2.3/Bcl] 3[1.2.3/Ebn]-4331-timp-perc-pfcel-hp-str | |
Once There Was A Man | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | Picc, Bcl, 3232-4331-timp-perc-hp-str Narr, SATB Chorus | |
Our time, WoO | Yes | Full Orchestra + Chorus | Professional | |||
Phoebus arise, W72 | Yes | Full Orchestra + Chorus | Soprano, Baritone | 20+ | Professional | Sop. Bar. SATB Choir, 1d 1 2d 1 . 2 2 1 0 . Tmp. Per. Pf/Cel. Str. |
Pieces, W94 | Yes | Full Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | 3222; 4331 (or 2221); timp, perc; strings | |
Pietà, W42 | Yes | String Orchestra | English Horn | 5-10 | Professional | Solo Eh - Str |
Portrait Suite | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2[1.2/Pic] 2 2 2 - 4331 - Tmp+2Perc - Hp - Str | |
Presidential Suite | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 3[Pic.1.2] 2 2 2 - 4331 - Tmp+Perc - Str | |
Prologue and Parade | Yes | Concert Band | 5-10 | Professional | Pic; 2Fl; Ob; Ebcl; 3Cl; A Cl; B Cl; Bn; 2Asx; Tsx; Bsx; 2Hn; 3 Crt; 3Tbn; 2Euph; Tuba; Tmp+Perc; Db | |
Quintet Concerto | Yes | Full Orchestra | Brass Quintet | 10-20 | Professional | 3[1.2.3/picc] 2 3[1.2.3/Bcl] 2-3110-timp-perc-str |
Reverie and Rondo | Yes | Full Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | 3[Pic.1.2] 2 2 2 - 4331 - Tmp+Perc - Str | |
Scene and song, W70 | Yes | Chamber | 10-20 | Professional | 1111-1000-str | |
Scherzi musicali | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2222 / 4331 / timp / str | |
Serenade | Yes | Full Orchestra | 20+ | Professional | 2[1.2/Pic] 2 2 2 - 4331 - Tmp - Str | |
Sinfonia in E | Yes | Full Orchestra | 5-10 | Professional | 2[1.2/Pic] 2 2 2 - 4331 - Tmp - Str | |
Sinfonietta, W1 | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 2222; 4200; timp, harp; strings | |
Song of Jeremiah: A Cantata | Yes | Full Orchestra | Baritone | 20+ | Professional | 2222-2221-timp-perc-pf-hp-str |
Southern Harmony: Four Aspects for Orchestra | Yes | Full Orchestra | 20+ | Professional | 3[Pic.1.2/Pic] 3[1.2.opt Eh] 3[1.2.Bcl] 3[1.2.opt Cbn] - 4331 - Tmp+2Perc - Str | |
Spirituals | No | String Orchestra | Professional | Str | ||
String Triptych | Yes | String Orchestra | Under 5 | Professional | Str | |
Submarine!, W73 | Yes | Chamber | 10-20 | Professional | 1111; 2220; perc; strings | |
Suite for Orchestra | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 3333-4331-perc-pf-str | |
Suite for Strings | Yes | String Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | Str | |
Symphony No. 1 | Yes | Full Orchestra | 20+ | Professional | 3[Pic.1.2] 3[1.2.Eh] 3[1.2.Bcl] 3[1.2.Cbn] - 4331 - Tmp+Perc - Str | |
The epicure, W68 | Yes | Full Orchestra + Chorus | Soprano, Bass | Under 5 | Professional | |
The fall of China, W69 | Yes | Chamber | 10-20 | Professional | 2200; 1321; piano, perc; strings | |
The Quiet One Suite | Yes | Chamber | 10-20 | Professional | 1111 - 1110 - Perc - Pf/Cel - Str | |
The shape of things W76 | Yes | Chamber | 10-20 | Professional | 1011; 2100; perc, harp; strings | |
The three musketeers, W77 | Yes | Chamber | 10-20 | Professional | 1011; 2110; perc, strings | |
The Western Paradise | Yes | Full Orchestra | Narrator | 10-20 | Professional | Narrator - 3[Pic.1.2] 3[1.2.Eh[ 3[1.2.Bcl] 3[1.2.Cbn] 4331 - Tmp+3Perc - Hp - Str |
Theater Set for Orchestra | Yes | Full Orchestra | 10-20 | Professional | 3[1.2.3/picc] 3[1.2.3/Eh] 3[1.2.3/Bcl] 2-4331-timp-perc(3)-hp-str |
Composer | Title | Work | Instrumentation | Level | Number of Movements | Accompanied | Size | Duration Range |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ulysses Kay | First Nocturne | Piano | Intermediate | 1 | No | Solo | ||
Ulysses Kay | Four Inventions | Piano | 4 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Little Tune | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Make Believe | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | March Song | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Old Lament | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Pastorale | Organ | 1 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Playing, Playing | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Slumber Song | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | So Gay | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Sprite's Dance | Piano | Intermediate | 6 | No | Solo | ||
Ulysses Kay | Suite No. 1 for Organ | Organ | 1 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Suite No. 1 for Organ | Organ | 1 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Tender Thought | Piano | 6 | No | Solo | |||
Ulysses Kay | Two Voices | Piano | 6 | No | Solo |