.
Collection Overview
Title: William DeFotis Papers, 1953-2004
ID: 26/20/124
Primary Creator: DeFotis, William (1953-2003)
Extent: 5.3 cubic feet
Arrangement:
Materials are arranged in four series, which are as follows:
Series 1) Personal Papers, is unrranged.
Series 2) Music, is arranged in two sub-series: sub-series 1) Original Compositions and sub-series 2) Translations and Orchestrations by DeFotis.
Series 3) Audio and Audio Visual Recordings, is arranged in two sub-series: sub-series 1) Audio Recordings and sub-series 2) Films.
and Series 4) Research and Correspondence, which is arranged in three sub-series: sub-series 1) Research Files, Publications, Lectures, and Notes; sub-series 2) Tenure Documents; and sub-series 3) Correspondence.
Date Acquired: 07/24/2003. More info below under Accruals.
Subjects: Alumni, Baylor University, Brün, Herbert (1918-2000), Clarinet, Composers, Compositions-Music, Computer Music, Conductors (Music), Films, Fulbright Awards, Gaburo, Kenneth (1926-1993), Music Composition, University of Iowa, Vocal music, William and Mary, College of
Formats/Genres: Concert Programs, Experimental Music, Papers, Scrapbooks, Sheet music, Sound Recordings, Video recordings
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Consists of publications, correspondence, original scores and arrangements, concert programs, audio and video recordings of William DeFotis' compositions and performances, and scrapbooks, documenting the career of alumnus and composer William DeFotis. Major correspondents include: Steven Blum, William Brooks, Herbert Brün, Constance DeFotis, Kenneth Gaburo, Perry Goldstein, Walter Levin, Allen Otte and Percussion Group Cincinnati, and Steve Whiting.
Biographical Note
William "Bill" George DeFotis (1953-2003) was born in Chicago, Illinois. DeFotis graduated from Elk Grove High Schol (Elk Grove, IL), where he began composing and playing clarinet. Following this, he studied music composition with Herbert Brün, Ben Johnston, and Morgan Powell at the University of Illinois, earning his Bachelor's of Music (1975) and his Master's of Music (1977). In 1977 he traveled to Germany on a Fulbright grant to study with composer and musicologist Wolf Rosenberg. During this period, he toured with Musica Negativa, playing clarinet throughout Germany. Upon his return to the United States, DeFotis attended the University of Iowa, earning a DMA in conducting. From 1983 to 1985, he taught composition and orchestra at Baylor University and from 1986 to 1996 he taught conducting, composition, and a course in women's studies at the College of William and Mary.
DeFotis's compositions have been performed by the LaSalle Quartet, Percussion Group Cincinnati, Opus One, the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory Philharmonia, and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. He took medical retirement in 1996, after which he composed and recorded more than a dozen songs for the album Satire is Serious Business, which was released by Centaur Records. DeFotis died due to complications from multiple sclerosis in 2003.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository:
The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
Accruals:
Memorial CDs and posthumous score releases were acquired sometime during 2004.
Acquisition Source:
Estate of William DeFotis
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1953-2003],
[
Series 2: Music, 1971-1998],
[
Series 3: Audio and Audio Visual Recordings, 1975-2004],
[Series 4: Research and Correspondence, 1973-1998],
[
All]
- Series 4: Research and Correspondence, 1973-1998
- Sub-Series 1: Research Files, Publications, Lectures, and Notes, 1975-1998
- Consists of Dissertation, Articles by DeFotis, Lectures by Defotis, Essays, and Research Notes, documenting DeFotis's career as an academic and music theorist. Materials are arranged chronologically by subject.
- Box 11
- Folder 1: DMA Dissertation, "A Comparative Analysis of the Orchestration in Stravinsky's Firebird and Firebird Suite", 1984
- Folder 2: DMA Dissertation, Notes and Correspondence, ca. 1983-1984
- Folder 3: Lectures, ca. 1990-1991
- Folder 4: Published Articles, 1978-1996
- Includes: "Berg's Rehearsal Instructions," Perspectives of New Music (1978); "Wolf Rosenberg der Lehrer," Essays in honor of Wolf Rosenberg's 70th Birthday (1985) [in German]; "How do we fit in?" Perspectives of New Music (1988); "Excerpts of Correspondence with Gaburo" Perspectives of New Music (1995); "Mahler's Symphony No. 9" The Musical Quarterly (1996); Draft for Musical Quarterly Article (ca. 1996).
- Folder 5: Student Paper, David Schumacher "Breaking Up Immediately Recognizable Units of Significance is Hard to Do", ca. 1988
- Box 12
- Folder 2: "Bad" Essays on Mahler [by DeFotis], undated
- Folder 3: Composition Ideas and Statements of Plans, 1988-1998
- Folder 4: Conducting Class Notes, 1981
- Folder 5: Copyright Correspondence and Materials Related to the Pudction of the CD Satire is Serious Business, 1988-1993
- Folder 6: Fourteen Ways to Describe the Rain by Hans Eisler, Essays, notes, rough drafts, correspondence, and outline of lectures, 1981-1986
- Folder 7: Heterosexuality as a Subject in My Music with Original Texts and drafts, ca. 1993
- Also includes review of "Kontradance Theatre," "Essays Before a Collaboration Self-Exploitation: the Most Reliable Terror," and "Texts are Pretexts" by Ben Johnston.
- Folder 8: Memorabilia from the University of Illinois "Notice Group" Student Organization, 1975-1976
- Folder 9: Notes on e.e. cumming's bagatelles and Wind and Percussion Music , 1986-1988
- Folder 10: Notes in Preparation for a Lecture on Igor Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat, undated
- Folder 11: Notes on The Charm of Trivia, 1975-1979
- Sub-Series 2: Tenure Portfolio, 1981-1991
- Consists of Tenure application documents. Materials are organized by section number for the tenure application.
- Box 11
- Folder 6: Tenure Portfolio - Table of Contents and CV, 1991
- Folder 7: Tenure Portfolio - Five Annual Merit Evaluations, 1987-1991
- Folder 8: Tenure Portfolio - Sample Syllabi, 1987-1991
- Folder 9: Tenure Portfolio - Sample Assignments and Exams, 1986-1991
- Folder 10: Tenure Portfolio - Published Artciles, 1978-1991
- "Musical Offerings to Alexander L. Ringer From His Students" (1991); "The Music in Barthes' A Lover's Discourse" Semiotics (1989); "How Do We Fit In?" Perspectives of New Music (1988); "Mahler's Symphony No. 9" The Musical Quarterly (1996) and Musik-Konzepte Sonderband: Gustav Mahler (1996); "Letter to Michael Kowalski" Perspectives of New Music (1985); "Rehearings: Mozart, Quartet in C, K. 465" 19th Century Music (1982); "A Musical Refutation of Susan Sontag's 'Against Interpretation'" Allos: Other Language (1980); "Berg's Op. 5 Rehearsal Instructions" Perspectives of New Music (1978); "Excerpts from a Correspondence with Gaburo" Perspectives of New Music (1995); "Vier Stuke fur Klarinette und Klavier, Op. 5" Musik-Konzepte, 9: Alban Berg (1978).
- Folder 11: Tenure Portfolio - Introduction to Swing Time, Festival of American Film, 1990
- Folder 12: Tenure Portfolio - [CD] New Graduate Works from the Experimental Music Studios at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, 1990
- Folder 13: Tenure Portfolio - Unsolicited Letters of Support, 1986-1991
- Folder 14: Tenure Portfolio - Elwell Concert Series Programs, 1991
- Folder 15: Tenure Portfolio - BMI Magazine, 1988
- Sub-Series 3: Correspondence, 1973-1998
- Consists of correspondence, documenting DeFotis's career as a student, composer, and academic. Materials are organized by subject.
- Box 12
- Folder 12: Herbert Brün, Ben Johnston, and Wolf Rosenberg, 1982-1989
- Folder 13: Herbert Brün, 1972-1986
- Folder 14: Kenneth Gaburo, 1977-1993
- Folder 15: Letters about performances and publications, 1986-2001
- Folder 16: Letters to editors and politicians, 1979-1992
- Folder 17: College of William and Mary Colleagues and Students, 1988-1999
- Folder 18: Conductors, 1978, 1984-1988, 2002
- Folder 19: Graduate School, Conducting, and Academic Postion Appointments, 1978-1984
- Box 13
- Folder 1: Steven Blum, Richard Herbert Howe, Theodore May, and Mark Sullivan, 1973-1985
- Folder 2: John Fonville, Zae Munn, Lesley Olsen, Mark Sikorowski, and Steve Whiting, 1974-1989
- Folder 3: Constance DeFotis, 1977-1998
- Folder 4: Correspondence from Susan Motycka (1 of 2), 1977-1981
- Folder 5: Correspondence from Susan Motycka (2 of 2), 1977-1981
- Folder 6: Correspondence to Susan Motycka, 1977-1978
- Folder 7: Perry Goldstein and William Brooks, 1977-1985
- Folder 8: Composers and Performers, 1978-1988
- Folder 9: Saula Ostrowsky, Robin Peller, and Claire Preston, 1977-1982
- Folder 10: Kathleen Otte, 1973-1978
- Folder 11: Robert and James Rebitzer, 1978-1986
- Folder 12: Historians, 1979-1990
- Folder 13: Allen Otte and Percussion Group Cincinnati, 1977-1981, 1992
- Folder 14: Martha Houle, 1987-1998
- Folder 15: Lily Kreywich Niel Immelman, Christine, Pia, and Hermoine Lee, 1989-1990
- Folder 16: Friends and Colleagues, 1977-1990
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Personal Papers, 1953-2003],
[
Series 2: Music, 1971-1998],
[
Series 3: Audio and Audio Visual Recordings, 1975-2004],
[Series 4: Research and Correspondence, 1973-1998],
[
All]
Holdings 
Submit request (Aeon)
Email us about these papers
Print this information