Frederick C. Tillis | |
---|---|
Born | Frederick Charles Tillis January 5, 1930
Galveston, Texas, United States |
Died | May 3, 2020
Amherst, Massachusetts,
[1] United States | (aged 90)
Education | Galveston Central High School |
Alma mater | |
Occupation(s) | Composer, professor of music, jazz saxophonist |
Employer | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
Notable work | See below |
Style | |
Website |
www |
Frederick Charles Tillis (January 5, 1930 – May 3, 2020) was an American composer, jazz saxophonist, poet, and music educator at the collegiate level.
Born in Galveston, Texas on January 5, 1930, Frederick Tillis was raised by his mother, Zelma Bernice Gardner, née Tillis (1913–2004), his stepfather, General Gardner, and his maternal grandparents, Willie Tillis and Jessie Tillis-Hubbard (1893–1979).
His first musical experiences were courtesy of his mother, who played piano and sang to him as a child. Later, at George Washington Carver Elementary School, Tillis decided to join the school's drum and bugle corps. As he became more proficient on trumpet, Tillis found his first professional job as a musician in jazz bands when he was twelve years old, earning him the nickname "Baby Tillis". Tillis' band director at Central Side High School, [2] Fleming S. Huff, suggested that he start playing the saxophone.
In 1946, Tillis was accepted at Wiley College on a music scholarship, and thus became the first person in his family to receive a college education. He graduated from Wiley in 1949 with a B.A. in music, accepting the position of college band director there almost immediately. He also married fellow Wiley music major Edna Louise Dillon at this time. They moved from Texas in 1951 so that Tillis could attend the University of Iowa for graduate music studies. At this time, he also decided to volunteer in the United States Air Force at the outbreak of the Korean War, and became director of the 356th Air Force Band. He later went back to get his PhD under the GI Bill at University of North Texas College of Music, but then returned to the University of Iowa to finish his doctoral studies. [3] [4]
Completing his PhD in 1963, Tillis then held a succession of academic positions at Wiley College, Grambling College, and Kentucky State University. In 1970, Randolph Bromery recruited Tillis to the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and he and his family moved to Massachusetts. [5] Joining the faculty as an associate professor of music, Tillis eventually held many faculty and administrative positions during his tenure at the University of Massachusetts. He retired in 1997, but still held the title of Professor Emeritus in the Department of Music and Dance. Tillis served as Director Emeritus of the University Fine Arts Center and Director of the Jazz in July Workshops in Improvisation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. [6]
Tillis wrote music since the age of twenty, and was influenced by Schoenberg, Bach, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, African-American composers, and world music. Some of Tillis' more notable compositions include A Symphony of Songs, a choral/orchestral work based on poems by Wallace Stevens and commissioned by The Hartford Chorale, Inc. (1999); A Festival Journey (1992), and Ring Shout Concerto (1974), for percussion, written for Max Roach; and Concerto for Piano (Jazz Trio) and symphony orchestra (1983) written for Billy Taylor. Tillis also wrote several books of poetry, as well as the textbook Jazz Theory and Improvisation. [3] [7]
During his retirement years, Dr. Tillis remained active as a composer, poet, touring performer, lecturer, and arts advocate. He maintained his dedicated service as director emeritus of the Fine Arts Center and professor emeritus at the UMass Amherst music department and Jazz in July program well into the mid-2000s. In later life, Tillis suffered from dementia and had multiple people who would care for him in his old age. Despite his health challenges, he remained interested in life and continued to support and be engaged with various arts activates in the surrounding Western Massachusetts community. [8]
The outpouring of admiration and acknowledgements for Dr. Tillis and his accomplishments is steadfast. Notable honors include proclamations from both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives for his 50 years of cultural contributions to music education and arts advocacy in Massachusetts; the naming dedication of the 1,800 seat Fine Arts Center concert hall at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as the Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall; and finally after restrictions were lifted as the pandemic eased, a major memorial celebration was able to be held on February 20, 2022, produced by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Music and Dance. Performers included current music department faculty and students, former faculty and alumni of the music department, and many friends who collaborated with Dr. Tillis over the years. Additionally, music composed by Frederick Tillis continues to reach new audiences with even more performances, recordings, and recognition.
Frederick C. Tillis | |
---|---|
Born | Frederick Charles Tillis January 5, 1930
Galveston, Texas, United States |
Died | May 3, 2020
Amherst, Massachusetts,
[1] United States | (aged 90)
Education | Galveston Central High School |
Alma mater | |
Occupation(s) | Composer, professor of music, jazz saxophonist |
Employer | University of Massachusetts Amherst |
Notable work | See below |
Style | |
Website |
www |
Frederick Charles Tillis (January 5, 1930 – May 3, 2020) was an American composer, jazz saxophonist, poet, and music educator at the collegiate level.
Born in Galveston, Texas on January 5, 1930, Frederick Tillis was raised by his mother, Zelma Bernice Gardner, née Tillis (1913–2004), his stepfather, General Gardner, and his maternal grandparents, Willie Tillis and Jessie Tillis-Hubbard (1893–1979).
His first musical experiences were courtesy of his mother, who played piano and sang to him as a child. Later, at George Washington Carver Elementary School, Tillis decided to join the school's drum and bugle corps. As he became more proficient on trumpet, Tillis found his first professional job as a musician in jazz bands when he was twelve years old, earning him the nickname "Baby Tillis". Tillis' band director at Central Side High School, [2] Fleming S. Huff, suggested that he start playing the saxophone.
In 1946, Tillis was accepted at Wiley College on a music scholarship, and thus became the first person in his family to receive a college education. He graduated from Wiley in 1949 with a B.A. in music, accepting the position of college band director there almost immediately. He also married fellow Wiley music major Edna Louise Dillon at this time. They moved from Texas in 1951 so that Tillis could attend the University of Iowa for graduate music studies. At this time, he also decided to volunteer in the United States Air Force at the outbreak of the Korean War, and became director of the 356th Air Force Band. He later went back to get his PhD under the GI Bill at University of North Texas College of Music, but then returned to the University of Iowa to finish his doctoral studies. [3] [4]
Completing his PhD in 1963, Tillis then held a succession of academic positions at Wiley College, Grambling College, and Kentucky State University. In 1970, Randolph Bromery recruited Tillis to the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and he and his family moved to Massachusetts. [5] Joining the faculty as an associate professor of music, Tillis eventually held many faculty and administrative positions during his tenure at the University of Massachusetts. He retired in 1997, but still held the title of Professor Emeritus in the Department of Music and Dance. Tillis served as Director Emeritus of the University Fine Arts Center and Director of the Jazz in July Workshops in Improvisation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. [6]
Tillis wrote music since the age of twenty, and was influenced by Schoenberg, Bach, Prokofiev, Mussorgsky, African-American composers, and world music. Some of Tillis' more notable compositions include A Symphony of Songs, a choral/orchestral work based on poems by Wallace Stevens and commissioned by The Hartford Chorale, Inc. (1999); A Festival Journey (1992), and Ring Shout Concerto (1974), for percussion, written for Max Roach; and Concerto for Piano (Jazz Trio) and symphony orchestra (1983) written for Billy Taylor. Tillis also wrote several books of poetry, as well as the textbook Jazz Theory and Improvisation. [3] [7]
During his retirement years, Dr. Tillis remained active as a composer, poet, touring performer, lecturer, and arts advocate. He maintained his dedicated service as director emeritus of the Fine Arts Center and professor emeritus at the UMass Amherst music department and Jazz in July program well into the mid-2000s. In later life, Tillis suffered from dementia and had multiple people who would care for him in his old age. Despite his health challenges, he remained interested in life and continued to support and be engaged with various arts activates in the surrounding Western Massachusetts community. [8]
The outpouring of admiration and acknowledgements for Dr. Tillis and his accomplishments is steadfast. Notable honors include proclamations from both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives for his 50 years of cultural contributions to music education and arts advocacy in Massachusetts; the naming dedication of the 1,800 seat Fine Arts Center concert hall at the University of Massachusetts Amherst as the Frederick C. Tillis Performance Hall; and finally after restrictions were lifted as the pandemic eased, a major memorial celebration was able to be held on February 20, 2022, produced by the University of Massachusetts Amherst Department of Music and Dance. Performers included current music department faculty and students, former faculty and alumni of the music department, and many friends who collaborated with Dr. Tillis over the years. Additionally, music composed by Frederick Tillis continues to reach new audiences with even more performances, recordings, and recognition.