Olly Woodrow Wilson, Jr. (September 7, 1937 – March 12, 2018) was an American composer of contemporary classical music, pianist, double bassist, and a musicologist. He was one of the most preeminent composers of African American descent in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. He is known for developing a list of Heterogenous Sound Ideals that is widely used to dissect different aspects of music, with an emphasis on African culture. According to Wilson himself, "The essence of Africanness consists of a way of doing something, not simply something that is done" (1991). This motto is the basis of Wilson's work in the realm of ethnomusicology. He is also known for establishing the TIMARA (Technology in Music and Related Arts) program at Oberlin Conservatory, the first-ever conservatory program in electronic music.[1]
He was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic. He was commissioned by the 1979 International Contemporary Organ Music Festival at the Hartt School of Music for his organ work Expansions, which was premiered at the festival by Donald Sutherland.[2]
Wilson's music is published by Gunmar Music (a division of G. Schirmer). His music has been recorded on the Columbia, CRI, Desto, Turnabout, and New World labels.
Wilson died March 12, 2018, in Berkeley, California at the age of 80.[3][4]
Heterogeneous sound idealsedit
Olly Wilson contributed to the study of African and American music by defining heterogeneous sound ideals that involve common themes in traditional African music: such as use of aspects of sound (pitch, duration, timbre and volume), usage of physical body movement in music making, and introspection of listeners. [5] His heterogenous sound ideals are still used today to help identify different aspects of sounds in music.
^Zilber, Ben (Summer 2007). "TIMARA: Technology in Music and the Related Arts". Oberlin Alumni Magazine. Vol. 103, no. 1.
^The Tenth Anniversary International Contemporary Music Festival(PDF) (Music festival program notes). Hartt School of Music / University of Hartford. 1980.
^Sandomir, Richard (March 23, 2018). "Olly Wilson, 80, Dies; Composer Meshed African and Western Music". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
^Iwata, Miyako (March 20, 2018). "UC Berkeley music professor emeritus Olly Wilson dies at 80, remembered for integrity". The Daily Californian. Archived from the original on March 25, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
^Avorgbedor, Daniel; Pyne, James (1999-10-01). "Voiced noise: The heterogeneous sound ideal as preferred acoustic environment in selective sub-Saharan African instruments and ensembles". The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 106 (4): 2169. Bibcode:1999ASAJ..106.2169A. doi:10.1121/1.427227. ISSN 0001-4966.
Southern, Eileen; Wilson, Olly (Spring 1978). "Olly Wilson: The Education of a Composer". The Black Perspective in Music. 6 (1): 57–70. doi:10.2307/1214303. JSTOR 1214303.
olly, wilson, olly, woodrow, wilson, september, 1937, march, 2018, american, composer, contemporary, classical, music, pianist, double, bassist, musicologist, most, preeminent, composers, african, american, descent, twentieth, twenty, first, centuries, known, . Olly Woodrow Wilson Jr September 7 1937 March 12 2018 was an American composer of contemporary classical music pianist double bassist and a musicologist He was one of the most preeminent composers of African American descent in the twentieth and twenty first centuries He is known for developing a list of Heterogenous Sound Ideals that is widely used to dissect different aspects of music with an emphasis on African culture According to Wilson himself The essence of Africanness consists of a way of doing something not simply something that is done 1991 This motto is the basis of Wilson s work in the realm of ethnomusicology He is also known for establishing the TIMARA Technology in Music and Related Arts program at Oberlin Conservatory the first ever conservatory program in electronic music 1 Olly WilsonBornOlly Woodrow Wilson Jr 1937 09 07 September 7 1937St Louis Missouri U S DiedMarch 12 2018 2018 03 12 aged 80 Berkeley California U S Alma materWashington University in St Louis University of IllinoisOccupation s Composer musician musicologistKnown forTIMARA Contents 1 Biography 2 Heterogeneous sound ideals 3 Awards and honors 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksBiography editWilson was born in St Louis Missouri to Alma Grace Peoples Wilson a seamstress and Olly Woodrow Wilson Sr an insurance salesman and butler He graduated with a B M degree from Washington University in St Louis in 1959 and earned an M M degree in music composition in 1960 from the University of Illinois His composition instructors included Robert Wykes and Philip Bezanson He earned a Ph D from the University of Iowa in 1964 citation needed Wilson taught at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music 1965 1970 He was an emeritus professor of music at the University of California Berkeley where he taught from 1970 to 2002 when he retired He also served as the chairman of that university s music department between 1993 and 1997 His notable students include Neil Rolnick Robert Greenberg Valerie Samson and Frank La Rocca He was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra the Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic He was commissioned by the 1979 International Contemporary Organ Music Festival at the Hartt School of Music for his organ work Expansions which was premiered at the festival by Donald Sutherland 2 Wilson s music is published by Gunmar Music a division of G Schirmer His music has been recorded on the Columbia CRI Desto Turnabout and New World labels Wilson died March 12 2018 in Berkeley California at the age of 80 3 4 Heterogeneous sound ideals editOlly Wilson contributed to the study of African and American music by defining heterogeneous sound ideals that involve common themes in traditional African music such as use of aspects of sound pitch duration timbre and volume usage of physical body movement in music making and introspection of listeners 5 His heterogenous sound ideals are still used today to help identify different aspects of sounds in music Awards and honors editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed October 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Elected to The American Academy of Arts and Letters 1995 Received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1971 which he used to live in West Africa where he studied African music and languages Received a Rome Prize 2008 6 References edit Zilber Ben Summer 2007 TIMARA Technology in Music and the Related Arts Oberlin Alumni Magazine Vol 103 no 1 The Tenth Anniversary International Contemporary Music Festival PDF Music festival program notes Hartt School of Music University of Hartford 1980 Sandomir Richard March 23 2018 Olly Wilson 80 Dies Composer Meshed African and Western Music The New York Times Archived from the original on March 25 2018 Retrieved March 25 2018 Iwata Miyako March 20 2018 UC Berkeley music professor emeritus Olly Wilson dies at 80 remembered for integrity The Daily Californian Archived from the original on March 25 2018 Retrieved March 25 2018 Avorgbedor Daniel Pyne James 1999 10 01 Voiced noise The heterogeneous sound ideal as preferred acoustic environment in selective sub Saharan African instruments and ensembles The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 106 4 2169 Bibcode 1999ASAJ 106 2169A doi 10 1121 1 427227 ISSN 0001 4966 Brack Naomii 2020 09 16 Olly Woodrow Wilson Jr 1937 2018 Retrieved 2024 02 24 Further reading editSouthern Eileen Wilson Olly Spring 1978 Olly Wilson The Education of a Composer The Black Perspective in Music 6 1 57 70 doi 10 2307 1214303 JSTOR 1214303 External links editOlly Wilson at AllMusic Olly Wilson biography at the Music Sales Group Olly Wilson interview February 4 1991 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Olly Wilson amp oldid 1210030201, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
