
From
left to right, Alex Shapiro, Jon Borowics, Hal Smith, Fred Koch, Howard
RobertsThe West Shore Concert Series feel the need of giving an opportunity to young composers to have their works performed and of acquainting you the listeners with the creative activity in art and music going on in this city.
EARL KELLY, pianist-composer from Cleveland, was born in Erie, Pennsylvania. He attended Ohio University and has studied summers at Chautauqua, New York. Mr. Kelly is a piano student of Walter A. Becker of Cleveland. He has appeared in concert for the Poetry Society, the College Club, the Fortnightly Club, and under his own sponsorship at the Cleveland Music School Settlement. He has been writing music since 1941 and his compositions have been frequently performed around Cleveland.
ROBERT BRINTNALL, composer from Lakewood, is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has studied composition with Marcel Dick and Dr. Arthur Shepherd. His string quartet and sonata for piano were performed at the annual composers' symposium held at the Cleveland Institute of Music and at Western Reserve University in 1949 and 1950.
JON BOROWICZ, theorist and composer from Cleveland, received his Bachelor of Music degree in theory from the Cleveland Institute of Music in June, 1950. He studied composition there with Marcel Dick and theory with Ward Lewis. Mr. Borowicz has made frequent appearances as conductor of the Institute Symphony Orchestra. He was formerly a member of the Norwalk Symphony. At present he is working toward his Masters degree at the Institute.
ALEX SHAPIRO, composer from Cleveland, is presently working toward his Bachelor of Music degree at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He studied composition there with Marcel Dick. Mr. Shapiro wrote musical shows for Special Service units while in the armed forces and also had an opportunity to attend the Heidelberg Conservatory in Heidelberg, Germany. He later studied with Ward Lewis, Dean of the faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Music, who was teaching at Shrivenham, England, in 1946.
HALE SMITH, composer from Cleveland, began the study of the piano at the age of eight and also experimented in simple composition. He became interested in jazz at the age of fourteen and explored its various aspects. While in service, he arranged music for various shows which toured Florida and Georgia. Mr. Smith played the piano at night clubs after his discharge from the service. In September, 1945, Mr. Smith had compiled a sketchbook of themes for a future suite in the jazz idiom. In January, 1946, he entered the Cleveland Institute of Music where with the interest and guidance of the faculty, his advance was rapid. He studied theory with Ward Lewis and Marcel Dick and received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Institute in July, 1950. Mr. Smith assisted in the musical direction of Debussy's "L'Enfant Prodigue" presented at the Karamu Lyric Theater last fall. Several of his compositions have been performed locally.
FREDERICK KOCH, pianist-composer from Rocky River, is presently studying with Leonard Shure and teaching privately. Piano lessons were begun with his mother and continued until he entered the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1941. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in piano with Beryl Rubinstein in June, 1949. He also studied at the Institute with Lawrence Stevens and Arthur Loesser. Served in the army from 1943-46 and wrote the music for two all-soldier shows "Under Fire," and Five Yanks Abroad," produced overseas. He recently composed the score for the musical "Golly Moses!" presented here last fall. Mr. Koch studied composition at the Institute with Ward Lewis and Gardner Read and then at Western Reserve University with Dr. Arthur Shepherd. He received his Masters degree from Western Reserve this September. Mr. Koch has written many compositions for piano. One of a group of piano pieces for children was published this fall by the Composers' Press in New York.
HOWARD WHITTAKER, director of the Cleveland Music school Settlement,
received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music
after which he served for two and an half years in the Army. At the Institute
he studied composition with Herbert Elwell, theory with Ward Lewis, and
conducting with Boris Goldovsky. He received his Masters Degree from the
Oberlin Conservatory of Music in 1947 where he majored in composition with
Herbert Elwell. Mr. Whittaker's compositions include works for orchestra,
two string quartets, an oratorio, and songs. They have been performed by
the Cleveland Summer Orchestra, the Columbus Philharmonic, and the Faculty
String Quartet at the Settlement. The quartet which appears on the program
was performed this winter at the League of Composers annual program in
Times Hall, New York.