Finding Aid for Robert Wykes Music and Papers, ca. 1944-1982 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

By Sandy Kroeker

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Collection Overview

Title: Robert Wykes Music and Papers, ca. 1944-1982

ID: 26/20/260

Primary Creator: Robert Wykes (1926-2021)

Extent: 1.5 cubic feet

Arrangement: Unarranged, being processed

Date Acquired: 05/22/2024

Subjects: Alumni, Composers, Music, School of

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Consists of scores of original compositions, music notes and sketches, correspondence, and essays documenting Robert Wykes' education and career as a composer; in addition to books, music, and programs related to his students and associates.

Biographical Note

Robert Wykes was an American composer and flutist born May 19, 1926 in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. He began playing the flute at age 9 and appeared with the Pittsburgh Little Symphony as a teenager. After serving in the United States Army during World War II, Wykes attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York to study music theory, earning his Master's degree in 1950. From 1950-1952, he was on faculty at Bowling Green State University in Ohio and played flute with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra. From 1952-1955, he continued his studies at the Univeristy of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, earning hist Doctor of Musical Arts in 1955. In adddition to studying music composition with Burrill Phillips and music theory with Hubert Kessler, Wykes also taught music theory during his time at UIUC.

In 1955, he joined the music faculty at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, where he taught until his retirement in 1988. Some of his students included Oliver Nelson, Jocy de Oliveira, Rhian Samuel, and Olly Wilson. From 1963-1967, Wykes played flute with the St. Louis Symphony and with the Studio for New Music from 1966-1969. From 1990-1991, he undertook research as a visiting scholar at Stanford Univerisity. Additional achievements of Wykes' include having his orchestral works performed throughout the country, scoring several films, and recieving awards and honors including the Distinguished Faculty Award from Washington University in 1976. Wykes died in St. Louis, Missouri on June 29, 2021.

Subject/Index Terms

Alumni
Composers
Music, School of

Administrative Information

Repository: The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music

Acquisition Source: MPAL

Acquisition Method: Transfer

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1],
[Series 2],
[Series 3],
[All]

Series 1

Box 1

Box 2

Box 3

Folder 1: "Towards Time's Receding" by Robert Wykes (FS), 1972
Folder 2: Trio Sketches - Flute, Cello, Piano - Unfinished, Undated
Folder 3: "Wave Forms and Pulses" by Robert Wykes (FS), Undated

Box 4

Folder 1: Double Woodwind Quintet Unfinished Sketch, Undated

Series 2

Box 4

Folder 2: "A Memorial Review of his life and works" by bela bartok, 1950
Folder 3: Assignments for Music 442 - Robert Wykes, 1953-1954
Folder 4: "Compose: Discover the Feeling" book, 1976
Folder 5: "Critique of Judgement" by Immanuel Kent, 1953: Book
Folder 6: Electronic Music Photograph and Program, 1963
Folder 7: "Kristen Johnson University f Illinois" Correspondence, 1952-1965
Folder 8: List of Recorded Performances with Notes - Robert Wykes, Undated
Folder 9: "New Choral Noation (A Handbook)" by Frank Pooler and Brent Pierce, 1971
Folder 10: Programs, 1982-2011
Folder 11: "The Technique of my Musical Language" by Olivier Messiaen, 1956: Book

Series 3

Box 4

Folder 12: "American Music Teacher" Magazine Featuring Burrill Philips, 1953
Folder 13: "Days and Routes Through Maps and Scores" by Jocy De Oliviera, 1983: Book
Folder 14: "Four Figures In Time" for Flute and Piano by Burrill Phillips (FS), 1953
Folder 15: "O'Connell Bridge" 3 Serial Pieces for Piano by David M. Jones (PS), Undated
Folder 16: "Six Pieces for Solo Voice" by Paul Arma, 1966
Folder 17: "The Musical Quarterly" by Paul Henry Lang, 1949: Book

Box 3

Folder 4: "A Game of Chnace" Comic Opera in One Act, Undated

Music by Seymour Barab

Libretto by Evelyn Manacher

Folder 5: "Canzona IV" (FS), 1966

Words by Alberta Phillips

Music by Burrill Phillips

Folder 6: "Chanson de Florian" (FS) and "The Light That is Felt" (FS), 1950

Pieces by Charles Ives

Folder 7: Cover Page of "Suite Concertante" for Tuba and Woodfind Quintet (piano reduction), Undated

By Armand Russell

Folder 8: "Echoes" (FS,P), Undated

By A. Giron

Folder 9: "Forever and Sunsmell" song with Percussion Duet and a John Cage Edition Peters, 1940

Words From a Poem by E. E. Cummings

Music by John Cage

Folder 10: "Honeyreves" per Flauto E Pianofore (P), 1963

By Bruno Maderna

Folder 11: "Improvisations" pour batterie et piano (FS), 1961

By Marcel Mihalovici

Browse by Series:

[Series 1],
[Series 2],
[Series 3],
[All]