Richard E Kent Music and Personal Papers

Overview

Scope and Contents

Biographical Note

Subject Terms

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

Personal Papers and Ephemera

Published Music and Oversized Items



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Finding Aid for Richard E Kent Music and Personal Papers, 1899-1996 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Kathryn Feazel, Kelly A. Carlson, and Scott Schwartz

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Collection Overview

Title: Richard E Kent Music and Personal Papers, 1899-1996Add to your cart.

ID: 26/20/107

Primary Creator: Kent, Richard E. (1899-1996)

Extent: 3.0 cubic feet

Arrangement: chronological by type of material

Subjects: Alumni, Bands, Music, New York City, Sousa, John Philip, Urbana, Illinois

Formats/Genres: Papers

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of original and published music compositions and arrangements, correspondence, concert programs, memoirs, newspaper clippings, Sousa Band Fraternal Society newsletters, photographs, Volunteer Illini Projects awards, yearbooks, and appointment books. The collection documents Kent's career with the Sousa Band through photographs and correspondence, as well as the transcription of his interview for the Sousa Oral History Project. The many arrangements, compositions, and transcriptions within the collection document his contribution to the music publishing industry. Included with Kent's published compositions is "On To The Goal, Illinois." Among Kent's original, unpublished compositions is a submission for the Mets official song, entitled "I Am A Mets Fan." In addition to his original compositions, Kent also arranged a number of works by a variety of composers including George Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, and Oscar Hammerstein. Finally, newspaper clippings and awards attest to Kent's active, post-retirement participation with Urbana-Champaign area Volunteer Illini Projects. The collection documents the life and career of a Sousa Band member, particularly a native Central Illinoisan, before, during, and after his tour with the great March King.

A composer/title index for all the music is located at the end of the finding aid.

Biographical Note

Richard E. Kent (1899-1996) was born on September 25, 1899, in Jacksonville Illinois. He grew up in a musical family; his father was director of the Bloomington (IL) High School Marching Band for many years. In 1914, the Kent family moved to Urbana, and he attended his last three years of high school at Urbana High School. In 1917, he enrolled at the University of Illinois. While attending the University, he was a member of the Marching Band, under the direction of Albert Austin Harding. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music, specializing in Piano, on June 15, 1921. In November of 1921, he withdrew from his post-graduate studies at the University to accept a professional position as second chair Alto Saxophone in the John Philip Sousa Band. Following two seasons with the Sousa Band, Kent continued his musical career, performing with combos in the Indianapolis (IN) area, including the Royal Peacock Orchestra. He moved to New York around 1921, and made a career as a music arranger with Radio-Keith-Orphem, and later the Southern Music Co. Upon his retirement from Southern Music in 1974, he and his wife, Nora Belle Phares, returned to Urbana. He was active with Volunteer Illini Projects, including the musical group the Heartlanders, until his death on March 19, 1996.

Subject/Index Terms

Alumni
Bands
Music
New York City
Sousa, John Philip
Urbana, Illinois

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Accruals: 12/94

Acquisition Method: Received in December 1994.

Other Note: 0 Pages

Other URL: https://files.archon.library.illinois.edu/uasfa/2620107.pdf


Box and Folder Listing


Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal Papers and Ephemera],
[Series 2: Published Music and Oversized Items],
[All]

Series 2: Published Music and Oversized ItemsAdd to your cart.
Box 2Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Journal Articles, "Globe-Trotting Incidents," by John Philip Sousa, and "Around the World with Sousa"Add to your cart.
Folder 2: Untitled Sonata, by Richard E. KentAdd to your cart.
Folder 3: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, A:  Anonymous-ArlenAdd to your cart.
Folder 4: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, B:  Barroso-BullardAdd to your cart.
Folder 5: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, C:  Carmichael-CowardAdd to your cart.
Folder 6: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, D-F:  D'Hardelot-FrimlAdd to your cart.
Folder 7: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, G-J:  Gershwin-JoplinAdd to your cart.
Box 3Add to your cart.
Folder 1: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, K-L:  Kalman-LoeweAdd to your cart.
Folder 2: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, M-P:  Madriguera-PradoAdd to your cart.
Folder 3: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, R:Add to your cart.
Folder 4: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, S:  INT Saens-StyneAdd to your cart.
Folder 5: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, T-Y:  Tilzer-YouseAdd to your cart.
Box 5Add to your cart.
Folder 10: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, BAdd to your cart.
Folder 11: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, C-HAdd to your cart.
Folder 12: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, K-PAdd to your cart.
Folder 13: Published Sheet Music, alpha. by composer, R-WAdd to your cart.

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal Papers and Ephemera],
[Series 2: Published Music and Oversized Items],
[All]

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