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Birth
Born in Manhattan, New York, NY, USA, January 25, 1921. Live with music everyday almost from his birth, because his parents love musics and they made it part of their daily lives. -
Start Training
Start formal music training at 10 years old as a trumpet player -
High School
He can already play professionally while still in high school. Then, he began the serious study of harmony and counterpoint (theory and harmony with John Sacco, and later as a scholarship student of Paul Yartin) -
A Member of Air Force Band
After three years after he got scholarship, at the Radio Workshop in New York, Alfred Reed spent the next three years in service during World War II as a member of an Air Force Band, he gets more interested in concert band and its music. -
Russian Christmas Music
Russian Christmas Music was composed in 1944. Holiday concert was planned to promote Russian-American unity, and Reed was asked to compose this while in the air force band. The music was first performed on December 12, 1944, on a nationwide NBC broadcast. The music has a really gentle mood and warm tone. The trombones and trumpets climaxes are very harmonious. Also, there are lots of great harmony and huge crescendo and climaxes. -
Study
Then, he went to the Juilliard School of Music to study under Vittorio Giannini. -
NBC
In 1948, he became a staff composer and arranger with NBC and then with ABC, where he started to wrote and arranged music for radio, television, record albums and films. -
Became a Conductor
He leaved Juilliard for NBC and became a conductor of Baylor Symphony Orchestra (1953-1966). -
Bachelor of Music
When he was at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, he received his B.M. in 1955. -
Period: to
Educational Music
Start from 1955 until 1966, Reed became interested in the problem of educational music at all levels of performance, especially in the development of repertoire materials for school bands, orchestras, and choruses. He also accepted the executive editor of Hansen Publishing, which is a major music publishing company in New York. -
Master of Music
When he was at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, he received his M.M. in 1956. -
A Festival Prelude
A Festival Prelude was composed in 1956. The work was composed for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Tri-State Music Festival. It first performed during the 25th anniversary of the Tri-State Music Festival. The music has a bright and brilliant mood throughout. It contained many huge fanfare like sounds. Also, there were lots of natural and huge crescendo to build up the climaxes. The brasses developed a massive and thundering conclusion. -
Award
In 1959, his Master's thesis "Rhapsody for Viola and Orchestra" won the Luria Prize. The first performance of the work is in 1959, and it was then published in 1966. -
Left Position
He left the position of the executive editor in 1966. -
Establishment
He established the very first college-level four-year Music Industry program at the University of Miami in 1966, which cause other colleges and universities to follow suit. -
Period: to
Became Professor
Then he became a professor of music in School of Music at the University of Miami (where he worked with composer and arranger Robert Longfield) from 1966 to 1993. -
Armenian Dances (Part I)
Armenian Dances (Part I) was Composed in 1972. Alfred Reed composed this piece for Dr. Harry Begian (who was of Armenian descent*) and his University of Illinois Symphonic Band. It was first performed by Dr. Harry Begian and the University of Illinois Symphonic Band, 1973, at the CBDNA Convention in Urbana, Illinois. It has four-movements, different movements makes the whole piece more fun to play and listen. It has a declamatory beginning and a big and clean end again. -
Armenian Dances (Part II)
Armenian Dances (Part II) was composed in 1977. Due to Part 1 of the Armenian Dances, Reed decided to make the Part 2. It was first performed in April 4, 1978 in Urbana. It has three movements, the multiple themes in the movements cause the music to be more rhythmic and melodic. Also, the big difference between movements is very attractive (For example: the first movement is very quiet, and the second movement is very cheerful and lively, and the other one is very intense). -
Appointed Music Director and Conductor
In 1980, following the retirement of his old friend and colleague, Dr. Frederick Fennell, was appointed music director and conductor of the University of Miami Symphonic Wind Ensemble. -
El Camino Real
El Camino Real was composed during the latter half of 1984 and completed in early 1985. The first public performance of El Camino Real took place on April 15th, 1985 in Sarasota, Florida. The music follows a traditional three-part pattern: fast-slow-fast. The fast-pace tempo makes this piece more exciting to play and to listen. Also, the melody changed back and forth from the woodwinds and the brasses, which made it more colourful and interesting. -
Death
Died in Miami, Florida, USA, September 17, 2005.
