Finding Aid for Robert Gray Papers, Music and Instruments, 1910-2006 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Robert DeLand, Emilia Garvey, Janice Wien and Scott Schwartz

[Printer Friendly] | [ Email us about these papers]

Collection Overview

Title: Robert Gray Papers, Music and Instruments, 1910-2006

ID: 12/5/40

Primary Creator: Gray, Robert (1926-)

Extent: 9.0 cubic feet

Arrangement: Alphabetical

Date Acquired: 05/10/2007

Subjects: Brass Instruments, Music, Music, School of, Photographs, Summer Youth Music

Formats/Genres: Papers, Sheet music, Sound Recordings

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of papers, photographs, music, correspondence, teaching notes, research, and music instruments documenting Gray's professional music career as a trombone professor, performer, and church music director between 1940 and 2006. The collection is organized in three series: Series 1, Personal Papers, 1940-2006; Series 2, Music, 1929-1998; and Series 3, Historical Trombones, ca. 1910-1992. Of particular interest are the papers documenting the University Wind Ensemble's 1977 tour of South America and Gray's prototype F attachment that was an attempt to modify the Conn's 8H bass trombone design but was never put into production by the manufacturer.

Biographical Note

Robert Gray was born in Ambridge, PA on June 13, 1926 and graduated from Ohio's Muskingum College c. 1949. He received his Masters degree in trombone performance and PhD in trombone theory/pedagogy from the Eastman School of Music, and taught at Duke University, the University of Arizona, and East Carolina University. Dr. Gray joined the University of Illinois faculty in 1955, and served as professor of trombone and low brass, and director of several student wind and brass ensembles. He was also a member of the Illinois Brass Quintet, Champaign-Urbana Symphony, and the Sinfonia da Camera. He retired in 1991 after serving 36 years on the UIUC faculty. In addition to his teaching and performance responsibilities a the University Gray served on the board of advisors for the International Trombone Association and was its president from 1984-86. For most of his tenure at the University of Illinois he also taught trombone for the Illinois Summer Youth Music Camp (ISYM) from 1957-91. In addition to his teaching and research he served as the music director at Champaign, Illinois' First Presbyterian Church and concertized with his wife, organist Joan Gray, throughout his career.

Subject/Index Terms

Brass Instruments
Music
Music, School of
Photographs
Summer Youth Music

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: Robert Gray

Acquisition Method: Gift

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal Papers, 1940 - 2006],
[Series 2: Original/Published Music and Sound Recordings, 1929 - 1998],
[Series 3: Historical Trombones, ca. 1910 - 1992],
[All]

Series 2: Original/Published Music and Sound Recordings, 1929 - 1998

Consists of original and published music for solo trombone and brass/wind ensembles, and sound recordings of ISYM and UI wind ensemble performances directed by Gray. Organized in three subseries: Sub-series 1, Sound Recordings, 1978-1998; Sub-series 2, Original Music, 1929-1977; and Sub-series 3, Published Music, 1933-1990. The material is arranged alphabetically within each sub-series and then chronologically. The abbreviations following each title identify the format of the music (FS) full score, (CS) condensced score, (PS) piano score, and (P) parts.

Sub-Series 1: Sound Recordings, 1978 - 1998

Box 14

Folder 4: Notes to audio recordings, undated
Folder 5: 7" REEL, John Boda: Sonatina for Baritone Horn and Synth, undated

Box 15

Item 1: "1978 ISYM W.E.", 1978
Item 2: "10-19-95 Side A Telemann", 1995
Item 3: "10-24-96 Tape II", 1996
Item 4: "10-25-95 Side A: Joseph I", 1995
Item 5: "1982 Illinois Summer Youth Music", 1982
Item 6: "1986 Illinois Summer Youth Music", 1986
Item 7: "3/8/96 Joan & Robert Gray 1st L", 1996
Item 8: "4-5-98 Recital", 1998
Item 9: "Classic Solos", undated
Item 10: "Faculty Brass Recital", 1988
Item 11: "Faculty Recital / Robert Weiss, Donald Beattie", 1984
Item 12: "ISYM Senior Orchestra Wind Ensemble 6/22/1991", 1991
Item 13: "Lacrimae Lacrimae" (DAT), undated
Item 14: "Music for Trombone and Organ I", undated
Item 15: "Music for Trombone and Organ II", 1996
Item 16: "Music for Trombone and Organ II MASTER", 1996
Item 17: "ORG/TBN Better Perf's - I", undated
Item 18: "ORG/TBN Better Perf's - II", undated
Item 19: "PR-MRU", undated
Item 20: "R & J Gray Recital 10-30-94", 1994

Box 16

Item 1: "R.Gray / J.Gray 'A' ", undated
Item 2: "S. YIYATT = Meulemaab" (sic), undated
Item 3: Senior Orchestra Wind Ens. 1987, 1987
Item 4: "Skidmarks", undated
Item 5: "SRO Wind Ensemble ISYM 1983", 1983
Item 6: "Banhert:Tableaux for Trombone and Piano - Tom Vincent, tbn", 1995
Item 7: "Tape I - 4-6-95", 1995
Item 8: "Tape II - 3-27-95", 1995
Item 9: "Tape III - 4-26-95", 1995
Item 10: "TBN + ORG Berlios", undated
Item 11: "Tear Open the Heavens", 1993
Item 12: "Trombone / IBC2 Concert 42", 1984
Item 13: "Trombone / Wind Ensemble", undated
Item 14: "Trombone and Organ MASTER", 1995
Item 15: "U. S. Marine Band - First Symphony - Knox", 1996
Item 16: "Walter C. Pelz: Our Soul...", undated
Item 17: "Wind Ens / Senior Orchestra 1989", 1989
Item 18: "Wind Ensemble / Lincolnshire Posey / Three…", undated
Item 19: "Wyatt = Otterloo 4-26-95", 1995

Sub-Series 2: Original Music, 1929 - 1977

Box 17

Folder 1: Bowman: Trio (FS, P), undated
Folder 2: Fitelberg: Capriccio (CS), 1929
Folder 3: Hovhannes: Mysterious Horse Before the Gate (P), 1964, 1970
Folder 4: Looser: Konzertante Musik (FS), 1951, 1957
Folder 5: McCulloh: Chamber Concerto (FS), 1947
Folder 6: McCulloh: Toccata (FS), 1949
Folder 7: Persichetti: Serenade #6 (FS, P), 1952
Folder 8: Starer: Concertino (PS, P), 1949
Folder 9: Tomasi: Eitre Ou Ne Pas Etre (PS, P), 1963
Folder 10: Udow: Barn Burner (PS), 1977

Box 18

Folder 1: Goeb: Quintet for Trombone and Strings (FS, P), 1952
Folder 2: Hartley: Concertino for Chamber Ensemble (FS), 1950-52
Folder 3: Hartley: Sonata da Camera for Trombone and Four Winds (FS, P), 1950
Folder 4: Hartley: Suite for Five Winds (FS, P), 1951
Folder 5: Kohan: Flight of Fancy (P), 1955
Folder 6: Premru: Concerto for Trombone and Woodwinds (FS, P), 1954
Folder 7: Sheiukman: Divertimento for Clarinet, Trumpet, and Harp (FS), 1953
Folder 8: Wyatt: Threesome (FS), 1977

Sub-Series 3: Published Music, 1933 - 1990

Box 19

Folder 1: Bach, J. S.: Magnificat (PS), undated
Folder 2: Bach (McCulloh): Three Arias from the Magnificat - J. S. Bach (McCulloh) (P), untitled
Folder 3: Barber: Untitled (PS, P), undated
Folder 4: Corelli (Marstellar - Gray): Sonata Op.5 #8 - Corelli (Marstellar - Gray) (PS, P), undated
Folder 5: Gouinguene: Concerto for Trombone - Gouinguene (PS, P), 1975
Folder 6: Grainger: The Sussex Mummer's Christmas Carol - Grainger (PS), undated
Folder 7: Handel: Sonata Op.1, #15 - Handel (PS), undated
Folder 8: Huybrechts: Concertstuk - Huybrechts (PS, P), 1944
Folder 9: Remington (Hunsberger): Remington Warm Up Exercises (P), 1980
Folder 10: Remington: Warm Up Exercises (P), undated
Folder 11: Sibelius: Romance (PS, P), c 1990
Folder 12: Sporny: Warm Up Exercises (P), undated
Folder 13: Unidentified: Warm Up Exercises (P), undated
Folder 14: Wagenseil (Janetzky): Concerto for Trombone (PS, P), c 1963

Box 20

Folder 1: Bach (Beversdorf): Haste, Ye Shepherds (PS, P), undated
Folder 2: Beeson: Music for Two Earnest Instruments - Beeson (PS, P), undated
Folder 3: Duncan: Divertimento for Trombone and String Quartet - Duncan (FS, P), 1955
Folder 4: Handel (Beversdorf): Air from Celestial Seats Descending from Hercules - Handel (Beversdorf) (PS, P), undated

Box 21

Folder 1: Huybrechts: Andante for Trombone Quartet, Suite for 3 Bassoons, Suite voor 4 Saxophones (FS), 1959
Folder 2: Wolfe: Konzert fur flote, Klarinette, Fagott, Trumbete, B. Horn, Posaune, Geige, Cello, Klavier (FS), 1933-34

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Personal Papers, 1940 - 2006],
[Series 2: Original/Published Music and Sound Recordings, 1929 - 1998],
[Series 3: Historical Trombones, ca. 1910 - 1992],
[All]