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

Service Location	Boxes
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	001-008
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	009-023
SACAM, Band Building, 1103 S. 6th Street	024
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	2007.120540.01 A-C Trombone
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	2007.120540.02 a/b
Archives Research Center, 1707 S. Orchard Street	2007.120540.03 Trombone

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Collection Overview

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

ID: 12/5/40

Primary Creator: Gray, Robert (1926-2008)

Extent: 9.0 cubic feet

Arrangement: 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. Material within each series is arranged alphabetically.

Date Acquired: 05/10/2007

Subjects: Bands, Brass Instruments, Church music, Concert tours, Faculty, Illinois Summer Youth Music, Music, Music, School of, Musical Instrument Makers - United States, Photographs

Formats/Genres: Music instruction, 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 Robert Gray's professional music career as a trombone professor, performer, and church music director between 1940 and 2006. 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 E. Gray (1926-2008) was born in Ambridge, PA on June 13, 1926 the son of William and Helen Lowary Gray. Gray graduated from Ambridge High School near Pittsburgh, PA. In 1949, he graduated with a bacheolors in music education from Muskingum College (New Concord, Ohio). While a student, Gray was a member of Phi Beta Mu. He received his Masters degree in trombone performance from the Eastman School of Music. During the Korean War, Gray served as a Musician First Class in the US Navy. In 1957, he was the first trombonist to earn a DMA at the Eastman School of Music, writing a dissertation entitled "The Treatment of Trombone in Contemporary Chamber Literature." Following this, he 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. Gray led the wind ensemble during its 1977 tour of South America. He was one of the charter members of the Bandmasters Hall of Fame in 1984. In 1986 he was presented with an outstanding bandmaster award from that same organization. During his time in the brass area, Gray performed alongside faculty members like Michael Ewald, Ray Sasaki, and Mark Moore. Gray 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 to 1986. For most of his tenure at the University of Illinois he also taught trombone for the Illinois Summer Youth Music Camp (ISYM). 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. Robert Gray died in 2008 in Urbana, IL.

Subject/Index Terms

Bands
Brass Instruments
Church music
Concert tours
Faculty
Illinois Summer Youth Music
Music
Music, School of
Musical Instrument Makers - United States
Photographs

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 1: Personal Papers, 1940 - 2006

Consists of correspondence, newsclippings, music catalogs, teaching and research files, awards, photographs and concert programs. Organized in five sub-series: Sub-series 1, Student/College Reunion Papers and Early Teaching Records, 1940-2004; Sub-series 2, Professional Corresondence, 1956-2002; Sub-series 3, UI Teaching and Performance Records, 1954-2006; Sub-series 4, Research Files, 1951-1994; and Sub-series 5, First Presbyterian Church Performance Records, 1971-2001. The documents are arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronological within each subject grouping.

Sub-Series 1: Student/College Reunion Papers and Early Teaching Records, 1940 - 2004

Box 1

Folder 1: Correspondence, programs, 1940-55
Folder 2: Programs, 1943-45
Folder 3: "Eastman School of Music, Its First Quarter Century" (book), 1948
Folder 4: Correspondence, programs, 1948-57, 1979
Folder 5: Duke University, 1950-55
Folder 6: Magnificat (Bach) with notes and programs, 1950-99
Folder 7: East Carolina College, 1951-55
Folder 8: Programs, clippings, photographs, 1951-64

Box 2

Folder 1: Muskingum College, 1952-2004
Folder 2: University of Arizona, 1952-55
Folder 3: Darius Milhaud letter, 1954
Folder 4: Bulletin of the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, 1954-55
Folder 5: Brevard Music Center, 1954-55
Folder 6: Emory Remington, 1957-80

Box 24

Item 1: Great Lakes Choir of 1000 Voices, Oct. 1944: Item is in Map Cabinet 3, Map Drawer 1, Folder 1
Item 2: 25th & 27th Regiment Choir, Nov. 1944: Item is in Map Cabinet 3, Map Drawer 1, Folder 1
Item 3: Faculty and Students of Muskingum College, New Concord, OH, Oct. 1945
Item 4: Faculty and Students of Muskingum College, New Concord, OH, Oct. 1946
Item 5: Faculty and Students of Muskingum College, New Concord, OH, Oct. 1947

MapCabinet 3

MapDrawer 1

Folder 1: Great Lakes Choir of 1000 Voices photo; 25th and 27th Regiment Choir photo; Honor al Merito Award, 1944, 1977

Sub-Series 2: Professional Correspondence, 1956 - 2002

Box 3

Folder 1: Correspondence, 1956-86
Folder 2: Correspondence, 1956-89
Folder 3: Correspondence from former students, 1964-87
Folder 4: Correspondence, 1966-2002
Folder 5: Correspondence, 1967-97

Box 4

Folder 1: Correspondence, Programs, Clippings, Photographs, 1971-2001
Folder 2: Correspondence, 1977-84
Folder 3: Correspondence, 1980-91
Folder 4: Correspondence on school retirement, 1991-92

Sub-Series 3: UI Teaching and Performance Records, 1954 - 2006

Box 5

Folder 1: American Federation of Musicians, Champaign Chapter, 1954-55, 1999-2006
Folder 2: Biographical file, 1962-95
Folder 3: Book Review - The Trombone in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, 1983-84
Folder 4: Employment Contracts, 1955-91
Folder 5: Former Trombone Students list, 1984-92
Folder 6: International Trombone Association, Trombone Workshops, 1971-88
Folder 7: Photographs, undated
Folder 8: Robert Gray Retirement, 1991
Folder 9: Robert Gray Trombone Award, donors, 1991-2001
Folder 10: Robert Gray Trombone Award, statements, programs and contracts, 1990-2002

Box 6

Folder 1: Trombone Clinics, educational materials, 1995-98
Folder 2: Trombone Curriculum Book, 1985-86
Folder 3: Trombone Method Books, 1966
Folder 4: UIUC Alumni Trombone Choir, 1996-97
Folder 5: UIUC and other venues, performance programs, 1957-90
Folder 6: Bemidji State University Summer Music Camp, 1959-70
Folder 7: Bemidji State University Summer Music Camp, 1971-84

Box 7: Music Catalogs and Illinois Summer Youth Music (ISYM) Camp Files

Folder 1: ASCAP Symphonic Catalog, 1959
Folder 2: C. F. Peters Catalog, 1960-85
Folder 3: Fleisher Music Collection Catalog, 1955-56
Folder 4: Library of Congress, SESAC, ISCM Catalogs, 1955-58
Folder 5: Magnamusic Catalog, 1956-79
Folder 6: Russian Catalogs, 1956-95
Folder 7: Scandinavian Catalogs, 1956-87
Folder 8: Zentralarchiv Suisse Catalogs, 1956
Folder 9: Catalogs, General, Notes and Correspondence, 1965-94
Folder 10: Musical Instruments Catalogs, 1960-70
Folder 11: ISYM, 1964-88
Folder 12: ISYM, 1972-91
Folder 13: ISYM, 1990-91

Box 8

Folder 1: International Trombone Workshop, 1973-78
Folder 2: International Trombone Workshop, 1979-80
Folder 3: International Trombone Workshop, 1981-82
Folder 4: International Trombone Workshop, 1983-84
Folder 5: International Trombone Workshop, 1985
Folder 6: International Trombone Workshop, 1986-87
Folder 7: International Trombone Workshop, 1988
Folder 8: International Trombone Workshop, 1991-92, 1997
Folder 9: UIUC Wind Ensemble, personnel, clippings, 1960-80
Folder 10: UIUC Wind Ensemble, Vaclav Nelhybel - guest conductor and composer, 1960-70, 1983
Folder 11: UIUC Wind Ensemble, National Wind Ensemble Conference, 1974

Box 9

Folder 1: UIUC Wind Ensemble, Programs (1 of 3), 1959-88
Folder 2: UIUC Wind Ensemble, Programs (2 of 3), 1959-88
Folder 3: UIUC Wind Ensemble, Programs (3 of 3), 1959-88
Folder 4: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Passports and Faculty ID
Folder 5: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, auditions and programs, 1977
Folder 6: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Chile, 1977
Folder 7: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Ecuador, 1977
Folder 8: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Guatemala, 1977
Folder 9: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Guatemala photographs, 1977

Box 10

Folder 1: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Joan Gray Journal, 1977
Folder 2: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Panama, 1977
Folder 3: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Panama photographs, 1977
Folder 4: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Paraguay, 1977
Folder 5: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Paraguay award, 1977
Folder 6: Wind Ensemble South American Tour, Uruguay, 1977

Box 23

Item 1: Photo: Champaign-Urbana Symphony, Krannert Center, March 1974
Item 2: Photo: UIUC brass quintet performance photo with R. Gray, M. Ewald, K. Machala, M. Moore, and R. Sasaki, March 1991
Item 3: Photo: Concordia Band photo - Concordia, MO, Undated

Box 24

Item 6: Award: Honor al Merito, Guatemala, 1977: Item is in Map Cabinet 3, Map Drawer 1, Folder 1

Sub-Series 4: Research Files, 1951 - 1994

Box 10

Folder 7: Trombone Literature Catalog, A-F, undated
Folder 8: Trombone Literature Catalog, G-K, undated
Folder 9: Trombone Literature Catalog, L-P, undated
Folder 10: Trombone Literature Catalog, R-Z, undated
Folder 11: Research Material, Trombones, 1951-94

Box 11: Chamber Music Index Cards - Part 1 of 2, undated

Box 12: Chamber Music Index Cards - Part 2 of 2, undated

Sub-Series 5: First Presbyterian Church Performance Records, 1972 - 2001

Box 13

Folder 1: First Presbyterian Church, Choir Records, 1972-90
Folder 2: First Presbyterian Church Correspondence, 1973-2001
Folder 3: First Presbyterian Church music arranged by Theodor Duda, 1977-82
Folder 4: First Presbyterian Church Christmas Music and notes, 1983-94
Folder 5: First Presbyterian Church "A Woman and A Coin," piece commissioned for Malcolm Nygren's retirement, 1990
Folder 6: First Presbyterian Church Gray retirement programs and correspondence, 1994
Folder 7: First Presbyterian Church Trombonists, 1997-2001

Box 14

Folder 1: Brass and Organ, music and notes, 1980's
Folder 2: Trombone and Organ Programs and Correspondence, 1992-97
Folder 3: Trombone and Organ Recital Programs, 1980-2001

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]