Julian Work | |
---|---|
Born | Julian Cassander Work September 25, 1910 |
Died | June 15, 1995 |
Nationality | American |
Education | Fisk University |
Occupation(s) | arranger, composer |
Employer | CBS |
Parent | John Wesley Work Jr. (father) |
Relatives | John Wesley Work (grandfather), John Wesley Work III (brother) |
Julian Cassander Work (September 25, 1910—June 15, 1995) was an arranger and composer.
Work was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to a family of professional musicians. His grandfather, John Wesley Work (1848-1923) was a composer and arranger for the Fisk Jubilee Singers; his father, John Wesley Work Jr. (1871-1925) was the first African-American collector of folk songs and spirituals, and also a choral director, educator and songwriter; his brother John Wesley Work III (1901-1967) was a composer, educator, choral director, musicologist and scholar of African-American folklore and music; his mother, Agnes Hayes Work, was a singer who also helped train the Fisk Jubilee Singers. [1]
Work studied music with local teacher Mary E. Chamberlain and was involved in musical activities from an early age, participating in neighborhood musical groups and performing as a jazz pianist. [2] [1] He studied composition with his brother John Wesley Work III while attending Fisk University, where he majored in sociology. [2] [3] By 1929 he had moved to New York City and was playing piano on the radio. [4] He became a staff arranger for CBS Radio, becoming one of the first Black American composers to write music for radio and television. [3] He was also the sole music arranger for the Voice of Firestone on radio and television. [2] Work was also a member of the American Society of Music Arrangers and served on its national board in the mid-1940s. [5]
Work married Kathryn Holliday in 1953. [6] Upon his retirement they moved to Tolland, Massachusetts, where he died. [3]
Julian Work | |
---|---|
Born | Julian Cassander Work September 25, 1910 |
Died | June 15, 1995 |
Nationality | American |
Education | Fisk University |
Occupation(s) | arranger, composer |
Employer | CBS |
Parent | John Wesley Work Jr. (father) |
Relatives | John Wesley Work (grandfather), John Wesley Work III (brother) |
Julian Cassander Work (September 25, 1910—June 15, 1995) was an arranger and composer.
Work was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to a family of professional musicians. His grandfather, John Wesley Work (1848-1923) was a composer and arranger for the Fisk Jubilee Singers; his father, John Wesley Work Jr. (1871-1925) was the first African-American collector of folk songs and spirituals, and also a choral director, educator and songwriter; his brother John Wesley Work III (1901-1967) was a composer, educator, choral director, musicologist and scholar of African-American folklore and music; his mother, Agnes Hayes Work, was a singer who also helped train the Fisk Jubilee Singers. [1]
Work studied music with local teacher Mary E. Chamberlain and was involved in musical activities from an early age, participating in neighborhood musical groups and performing as a jazz pianist. [2] [1] He studied composition with his brother John Wesley Work III while attending Fisk University, where he majored in sociology. [2] [3] By 1929 he had moved to New York City and was playing piano on the radio. [4] He became a staff arranger for CBS Radio, becoming one of the first Black American composers to write music for radio and television. [3] He was also the sole music arranger for the Voice of Firestone on radio and television. [2] Work was also a member of the American Society of Music Arrangers and served on its national board in the mid-1940s. [5]
Work married Kathryn Holliday in 1953. [6] Upon his retirement they moved to Tolland, Massachusetts, where he died. [3]