Musicians - Don Gillis

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	Musicians - Don Gillis

Don Gillis (June 17 1912–January 10 1978) was a US composer, conductor and teacher. The composition which has gained him most recognition is his orchestral Symphony No. 5½, A Symphony for Fun.

Biography

Donald Eugene Gillis was born in Cameron, Missouri. His family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, and he studied at Texas Christian University, playing trombone and acting as assistant director of the university band. He graduated in 1935, and obtained a masters degree from North Texas State University in 1943.

He became production director for the radio station WBAP, later moving to NBC where he became producer for the NBC Symphony Orchestra during the tenure of its conductor Arturo Toscanini. He held several teaching posts at academic institutions in the southern United States during his career, and also helped to found the Symphony of the Air orchestra.

He died in Columbia, South Carolina.

Music

Gillis was a prolific composer, writing ten orchestral symphonies, Portrait of a Frontier Town, and six string quartets. However he is remembered primarily as the composer of his Symphony No. 5½, A Symphony for Fun.

Publications

The Unfinished Symphony Conductor. Pemberton Press (1967). A satirical conducting manual.
The Art of Media Instruction. Crescendo Book Publications (1973).

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