Michael Colgrass was a composer and percussionist, born April 22, 1932 in Brookfield, Illinois, died July 2, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario. He began his musical career in Chicago as a jazz drummer (1944-1949) and graduated from the University of Illinois in 1954 with a Bachelor of Music degree in performance and composition. His teachers included Darius Milhaud at the Aspen Festival and Lukas Foss at Tanglewood.
After graduation, he was a timpanist with the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra in Stuttgart, Germany, and then a free-lance percussionist in New York City (1956-1966), performing with the New York Philharmonic, American Ballet Theater, Dizzy Gillespie, the Modern Jazz Quartet, the original West Side Story orchestra on Broadway, the Columbia Recording Orchestra’s *Stravinsky Conducts Stravinsky* series, and numerous ballet, opera and jazz ensembles. While in New York, he continued to study percussion with Wallingford Riegger (1958) and Ben Weber (1958-60).
He began to compose full-time in 1967 and moved to Toronto in 1974.
Colgrass received many commissions throughout his career from the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony, the orchestras of Minnesota, Detroit, San Francisco, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Washington, Toronto, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, The Canadian Broadcast Corporation, The Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society, the Manhattan and Muir String Quartets, The Brighton Festival in England, The Fromm and Ford Foundations, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and numerous other orchestras, chamber groups, choral groups and soloists.
In 1978, he won the Pulitzer Prize for Music for *Déjà vu*, which was commissioned and premiered by the New York Philharmonic. He received an Emmy Award in 1982 for a PBS documentary “Soundings: The Music of Michael Colgrass.” He has been awarded two Guggenheim Fellowships, A Rockefeller Grant, First Prize in the Barlow and Sudler International Wind Ensemble Competitions, and the 1988 Jules Leger Prize for Chamber Music.
As an author, Colgrass wrote *My Lessons With Kumi*, a narrative/exercise book, outlining his techniques for performance and creativity, and *MICHAEL COLGRASS: Adventures of an American Composer* (2010).
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Fonds consists of the professional and personal records of composer Michael Colgrass. The collection includes manuscripts of his compositions; administrative and financial documents relating to commissions with orchestras, performers, and publishers; and materials generated from the performance of these compositions (including recordings, programs, reviews, and program notes). Other records relate to workshops that Colgrass led, particularly his Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) workshops and Colgrass' writings, including poetry, articles, manuscripts and notes for his books, and correspondence with friends and colleagues.
Fonds arranged in 7 series: (A) Compositions; (B) Contracts, royalty statements, and financial documents; (C) Performances; (D) Photographs; (E) Workshops and other educational appearances; (F) Writings; (G) Biographical information and personal memorabilia. Arrangement reflects that of the creator (Michael Colgrass) and donors (Ulla and Neal Colgrass). Some materials were arrange during the creator's lifetime for appraisal in 2005; later materials added by donors.
Donated by Ulla and Neal Colgrass (A2021-03).
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Series consists of manuscript scores and parts, master copies, drafts, sketches, worksheets, and libretti for compositions by Michael Colgrass.
Each file consists of a single composition in all its iterations (scores, parts, sketches, etc.) and files arranged in chronological order of composition. Series includes some unfinished composition projects. Undated compositions are listed at the end of the series.
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File includes miscellaneous manuscript pages, including drafts of "For viola alone," "Serenade for clarinet, vibraphone, viola," "Quartet for violin, clarinet, trombone, bass and violin solo," "Jimmy's piece," and "Little suite for brass and percussion."
Ulla Colgrass note: "Michael's first piece."
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File includes copy of score and parts, published by Music for Percussion, Inc.
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File includes 12 timpani solos and snare drum exercises written for high school contest.
Alternatively titled "Improvisation".
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File includes copy of manuscript, written while Michael Colgrass was a student.
Ulla Colgrass note on original envelope: "Michael's second work in University of Illinois. First was 'Three Brothers.'"
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File includes original pencil score, manuscript.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "These are the performance parts used by the New York premiere of this work. The orchestra was personel from The Symphony of the Air with David Brockman conducting, with the composer as soloist on the four drums. Cooper Union, January 8 or 9, 1957."
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File consists of parts used for New York premiere.
Dedicated to Paul William Price.
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File includes score and parts, published by Music for Percussion, Inc.
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File includes original pen and ink copy of score and copies of parts used for premiere at University of Illinois, conducted by Paul Price.
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Parts are photocopies of originals hand-copied by composer."
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Item is the parts used for premiere at University of Illinois, conducted by Paul Price.
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File includes a copy of the manuscript score and a letter from Nancy Carson regarding the copy.
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File includes published score and parts, published by Music for Percussion, Inc.
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File includes mansuscript score in ink, instructions for performance, and correspondence about the publication of the score.
Dedicated to Emanuel Vardi.
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File includes Michael Colgrass' original drum part (1957); original pencil manuscript for the following movements: Intro, I, IV (originally II), V (originall III), finale, II (originally IV), III (originally II), sketches for further movements, 12-tone exercises from studies with Wallingford Riegger; composer's hand-copied original score in ink, missing pages 1-2; annotated copy of published score.
For a program from the Canadian premiere by Jesse Kregal (May 18-19, 1965), see the Music Library Collection of Faculty Events (OTUFM 51).
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Item is Michael Colgrass' original drum part.
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Item is the original pencil manuscript for the following movements: Intro, I, IV (originally II), V (originall III), finale, II (originally IV), III (originally II), sketches for further movements, 12-tone exercises from studies with Wallingford Riegger.
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Item is the composer's hand-copied original score in ink, missing pages 1-2.
Dedicated to Emanuel Vardi.
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Item is an annotated copy of published score.
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File includes orignal pen score masters copied by the composer.
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File includes unfinished manuscripts, sketches, and a photocopy of final score (unfinished).
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Photocopy of the far score asfar as got—copied neatly in pencil (camera-ready) by composer."
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Item is an unfinished manuscript with sketches and a photocopy of the final score (incomplete).
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Unfinished piano concerto from 1958-9. First atonal piece, which represented a switch in styles. This piece was the source of many new pieces that started in 1960."
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Item is an unfinished manuscript.
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File includes pencil manuscript; solo part used by Michael Colgrass for the premiere of Fantasy-Variations (Carnegie Recital Hall, 1961); full score, photocopy of pencil hand-copied score by composer.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Original pencil manuscript in composer's hand. The pages are not numbered, nor are the bars. Most of the piece was written in pieces, then transferred over to a neat blue pencil copy, over which I 'inked' the blue pencil. This was my typical method of working. Therefore the only neat copy would be the final copy, with no 'fair copy' having been made. This was my way of avoiding one step in the copying process. Also included are my very first notes on my notation of metrical modulation, using [triangle-, square-, ex-shape] type note heads to show 3/3, 5/5, 7/7, and 9/9 meter."
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope (?): "Never performed. I never pushed for performance since the work seemed immature. But I got the piece out of my system."
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File includes score, photocopy of ink hand-copied by composer.
Michael Colgrass note on title page: "Originally for harp instead of piano. Photocopy of pencil score in composer's hand."
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File includes copy of composer's pencil score, 2 versions: 8 drums and piano with strings and 8 drums and harp with strings (incomplete).
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File includes: pencil manuscript, unnumbered bars and pages, original working score; original pencil score in composer's hand (1962).
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Item is Colgrass' original working score, a pencil manuscript with unnumbered bars and pages.
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Item is the original pencil score in composer's hand.
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File includes pencil manuscript, original composing pages (bar-less, number-less pages and bars).
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Pencil manuscript showing, again, unnumbered bars and pages. But it's all here if you're a musical Sherlock Holmes (as in the Rhapsodie Fantasy for 15 drums and orchestra, which is a real mess)."
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File includes pencil manuscript.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Pencil manuscript of original composing pages. Another example of my unnumbered bars and pages, but it's all here. Also included are some pages of the fixed pencil copy (photocopy—the original went to MCA publishers to be used for the publication. See published scores.)"
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File includes pencil manuscript score.
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File includes the score and parts, published by Music for Percussion, Inc.
Commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation for the Berkshire Music Centre Orchestra at Tanglewood.
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File includes first sketches; pencil manuscript; and an annotated copy of score.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Very first thoughts and inspiration from Times article (enclosed). First sketches."
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Original manuscript score in my usual unnumbered bars way of working. But this is easier to follow than some of the other messy scores."
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File includes original manuscript, pencil; photocopy of fully orchestrated version; an copies of original pencil manuscript with annotations.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Original pencil manuscript of ballet written for Robert Joffrey on the night of March 31, 1966."
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Written between 1:10 AM and 9:30 AM 1 April 1966 for Robert Joffrey Ballet Co. Premiere 1:30 PM 1 April [1966]."
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Premiered at Brighton Festival (1967).
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File includes work libretto; original score before revision in 1969, miscellaneous pencil manuscript sheets of music, some score sheets in finished copy by composer (1967); re-workings of original script, pages of score in pencil (1969).
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "This score was used for Brighton, England premiere."
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Item includes original score before revision in 1969, miscellaneous pencil manuscript sheets of music, some score sheets in finished copy by composer (1967).
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Item includes re-workings of original script, pages of score in pencil (1969).
Note from Michael Colgrass: "I wrote this work for TV on a commission from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting during 1972-1975. The theatrical style of the piece was inspired by my Rockefeller Foundation studies in Europe on a Composer-in-the-Theatre-at-large program (which I created) to study avant garde theater. I staged my own version of the opera at the University of Illinois after PBS told me the work was too expensive for television. The result was a theatrical success, mixing dance, mime, acrobatics, etc., but an operatic failure, since I put all my attention on writing the script and producing and directing the production and little on the music. But the effect of this work on my subsequent instrumental music was enormous, since from this point on I wrote for instrumentalists as if they were characters in a play."
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File consists of manuscript scores, annotated scores, score masters, notes on the production, costume designs by Michael Colgrass, and various versions of the script.
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Item is miscellaneous pencil manuscript sheets and notes.
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Item is original version, orchestral
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "pages cut from this score to make this into a theater version."
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Item is the piano-vocal score in pencil, composer's hand.
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Item is full piano score and smaller work score (1970), 2 copies.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Masters, hand-copied in pencil by the composer of original version of the score (orchestrated). Pages missing are 82-97 and 138-161. These were extracted from this original version to be used in the theater version I re-wrote for the University of Illinois production. The original TV version (2 hours long) was never produced because it was too expensive for PBS. Also included are notes and alterations on script, overture and scenes 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9 in original piano version, hand-copied by the composer in pencil, some miscellaneous scenes."
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Item is master pencil score.
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Item is scenes cut from Nightingale, Inc. TV version, composer pencil copy of piano reduction
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Item is piano-vocal score (1972), manuscript.
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Item is notes, alterations on script.
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Item is ideas for *Nightingale, Inc.* that were never used (annotated script).
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original pencil notes on creation of Nightingale, Inc. and Nightingale script in fuller version.
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Item consists of the full script, typed photocopy with edits, original script for NET Television production, never produced.
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Item is design ideas for characters, including drawings of characters, original sketch for script, plot plan.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "[in reference to the initial proposal to Rockefeller] start of the whole thing, 1968-75."
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Item is initial proposal to Rockefeller for "Composer in the Theater at Large", Nightingale letters (Rockefeller), forming the Inter media Theater, letters to and from Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) on production plans, production plans for University of Illinois presentation and premiere.
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Item is costume designs by composer.
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Item is drawings (costume designs by composer).
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Item is the complete script.
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Item is a copy of piano-vocal score with annotations.
The full pencil manuscript of score was donated to the Boston Symphony in 1969.
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File includes pencil notes on how to set the poems, some pages of pencil music manuscript sketches; and a copy of the original script from the premiere performance.
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "original script used by the composer for premiere performances with Boston Symphony in 1969 (composer narrating)."
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Commissioned by the Lincoln Center Chamber Music Society.
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File includes pencil manuscript of original score plus worksheets, copied by the composer (1969) and an annotated copy of published score.
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File includes notes and sketches, including one through-draft pencil manuscript by composer.
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File includes original pencil score; piano reduction (rehearsal score) of orchestra, pencil copy in composer's hand.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "An orchestrated version of *New People* for mezzo, viola and piano. Premiered by the Minnesota orchestra who commissioned the orchestra/chorus version in a consortium with Detroit, St. Louis, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Washington orchestras (premiere 1976)."
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Commissioned by the Spokane Symphony Orchestra.
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File includes entire pencil score manuscript (1974) and an annotated copy of choral score.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Miraculously, I can give you here the entire original pencil fair copy. Reason: someone else made the final ink copy and had to have a readable copy to work from. Since I didn't have to make the final performance copy I didn't mind having to copy everything out with bar numbers and page numbers. Especially since this copy didn't have to be really neat for the conductor to read."
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File includes pencil score, copied by composer, final orchestrated version; piano reduction in pencil; first draft, some second draffy up to m. 553, pencil manuscript
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Piano rehearsal part only, to add 3 violins would have made for impossible page turns."
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Manuscript score in pencil by composer. Text largely by composer (exception: 1 civil war poem by a general, also words from Thoreau's 'Walden')."
Premiere performance by the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Robert Gutter with Kathryn Bouleyn, soprano ; Betty Allen, mezzo-soprano ; Jerold Norman, tenor ; John Reardon, bass-baritone (March 30, 1976).
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File includes miscellaneous portions and sketches of score, piano reduction of entire work, notes on procedure.
Sketches only. Never written.
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File includes sketches (never completed).
Commissioned by Young Concert Artists, Inc. through the New York State Council on the Arts for the U.S. Bicentennial.
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File includes pencil score and worksheets.
From *Best wishes U.S.A.*
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File includes original fair copy, copied in pencil by the composer.
Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic for its principal players.
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File includes original pencil manuscript, idea pages, and sketches; band version (copyist's materials); parts and list of errata in score.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Somewhat like *Strangers*, *Déjà vu* was written often in separate solos and then made into a counterpoint of musics. Therefore, because of the cutting and pasting, only the final draft shows the entire music. And the final draft is the performance score."
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "To make the band version, I chopped up the orchestral version and made notes from the copyist as to how the string parts could be translated to wind parts, or ct. This version shows how I chose to substitute winds for strings, in specific terms, that can be compared with the orchestral version."
Band version created 1986-1987. Commissioned by the Mid American Conference Band Directors' Association. Premiered at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, conducted by John E. Williamson on February 26, 1987.
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Commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation for the Canadian Brass. Excerpt from *Flashbacks* for brass quintet.
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Dedicated "For my son, Neal [Colgrass], age 12."
Commissioned with a grant from the Ontario Arts Council.
Based on *Jack and the beanstalk*.
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File includes pencil sketches for extra songs, original pencil manuscript for main songs, original script with notes (1982); fair copy of score in pencil by the composer and working script (1978); copy of score published by Carl Fischer, Inc. with an inscription from the publisher to the composer.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelopes: "formerly The Tower, children's musical"; "Early notes on the script, making *Jack and the Beanstalk* into an urban story of today."
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Ulla Colgrass note (c): "Note [inscription on cover] is from Michael's business partner and friend, Arthur Cohn at Carl Fischer."
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Commissioned by the National Arts Centre Orchestra.
Premiered at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa by Walter Prystawski, violin; James Morton, clarinet; Ian Bernard, percussion; and the National Arts Centre Orchestra with Mario Bernardi conducting.
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File includes manuscript score (pp. 1-9), worksheets, portion to be pasted together, counterpoint-of -music sections created by stripping together musics in different tempi simultaneously, cut outs of 3 soloists playing separate musics simultaneously; score masters; orchestral transparencies, masters, copied by composer; part transparencies, masters, copied by composer; solo part transparencies, score of solo instruments (violin, clarinet in A, percussion).
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "My finished hand copy in pencil."
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File includes original pencil manuscript, including strips for counterpoint of musics and interview notes of performers (Canadian Brass) that inspired the composition; full score for reproduction; masters of score revisions, pp. 10-15, 58-59; full score with edits.
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First page missing.
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Premiered by the Musica Aeterna Orchestra conducted by Frederic Waldman and Jose Serebrier on December 1, 1976 at Alice Tully Hall.
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File includes pencil manuscript and sketches (1979), and a copy of score with annotations.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "pencil manuscript from pp. 1-9, then the sketches break up because of the multi-musics (counterpoint of musics written separately and then patched into on final score."
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Dedicated to Shichan Takashima.
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File includes the original pencil manuscript (1979); and two score masters.
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World premiere by Robert Chumbley, piano at Theresa L. Kaufmann Concert Hall, Music at the Y (November 9, 1980).
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File includes pencil manuscript score, final score, pp. 23-26, blue-pencilled transparencies, final copy, pp. 30-37, and first notes on ideas for the piece; manuscript score masters and pencil tissues.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Later to become: *Winds of Nagual*."; "Very first notes on the piece that was originally for piano (1980), then altered and orchestrated for large wind ensemble in 1984 (*Nagual*)."
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope (?): "My rhythmicalization of hypnotist Milton H. Erickson's 'Arizona' induction. Subject: To leave your uncertainty in the past."
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Incomplete. Then connected to *Metamusic* for solo piano, later made into *Memento* for 2 pianos and orchestra, and 2 pianos alone. So, this music is the first inspiration for *Memento* for 2 pianos and orchestra."
Dedicated to Ben Weber.
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope (a): "From this piece, *Memento* for two pianos and two orchestras was made."
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File includes composer's pencil final score.
Originally commissioned as a two piano concerto by the New World Festival of the Arts for piano duo Robert Chumbley and Shirley Irek.
Originally titled *Miami*.
Premiered by Robert Chumbley and Shirley Irek with the Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin.
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File includes manuscript score; original pencil manuscript; complete score transparencies; 2-piano score.
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Originally titled 'Miami'."
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Solo two piano version (without orchestra) dedicated to Ben Weber.
Premiered by Robert Chumbley and Shirley Irek at the MANCA International Festival of Contemporary Music in Nice, France.
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Commissioned by Elyakim Taussig with the assistance of the Canada Council and the Ontario Arts Council.
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File includes pencil manuscript of reduced orchestral score; score masters; pencil score, incomplete, for children's concerts; piano reduction, masters; orchestra part transparencies, masters, copied by composer.
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Commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for Rivka Golani through the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council, "Celebrating the 300th Year of J.S. Bach."
Premiered September 24, 1984 at Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto with Rivka Golani, violin; Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Andrew Davis, conductor.
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File includes four drafts; finished score, orchestral transparencies, copied in ink by composer; canon score; orchestral score, canon master; rehearsal score; parts, transparencies.
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Dedicated to Frank Battisti.
Commissioned by the New England Conservatory wind ensemble on a grant from the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and Humanities.
Premiered at Jordon Hall in Boston on 14 February 1985, with the New England Conservatory Ensemble and Frank Battisti conducting.
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File includes pencil manuscript, complete except for bars 566-576; score transparencies; part transparencies; parts, masters.
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File includes pencil manuscript and a copy of score.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Entire songs is one manuscript page. Only the publisher (Carl Fischer) has a copy of the copied [master] score."
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Commissioned by James Campbell through the Canada Council.
Dedicated to Eliott Carter.
Premiered at Wigmore Hall in London, England by James Campbell, clarinet ; Rivka Golani, viola ; John York, piano on December 14, 1986.
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File includes sketches, worksheets, pin-ups, and some original manuscript pages; master score (2 copies, one single-sided and one double-sided) ; master parts for viola and clarinet (2 copies each); manuscript score.
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: This manuscript is virtually impossible for anyone to decipher. The work was written as 3 separate solos, then pasted together. Even I can't figure out the details of the working of my mind in this process. But someone might be fascinated at what you might call a view of the subconscious of the composer as it would look if represented on paper."
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Dedicated to Ulla Colgrass on her 50th birthday.
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File includes manuscript score; original pencil manuscript and re-write of bars 353-478g; reduced score without rewrites ; parts, edited; score masters with revisions; score masters, corrected and edited, use for reproduction.
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Note with: "Obsolete originals, from cut."
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Concerto for orchestra with variations on Schubert's Kupelweiser Waltz.
Commissioned by the National Arts Centre Orchestra and premiered at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa on 17-18 January 1990, by Music Director Gabriel Chmura.
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File includes pencil manuscript, photocopy of finished score copied by composer, and early drafts and worksheets; final version copied by composer in ink and pencil, complete score masters; parts, masters.
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Commissioned by the Calgary Philharmonic.
Dedicated to Farley Mowat.
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File includes pencil manuscript of score, overlapping drafts, and one single-sheet set of finished copy ; score masters, copy; score masters, original pencil; organ part masters, complete and edited; score, masters, reduced size; orchestra parts, masters.
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Commissioned by James Keene for the 100th anniversary of the University of Illinois Symphonic and Concert Bands, and to honour the retirement of Michael Colgrass' friend Jack McKenzie, dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts.
Written with the support of the Canada Council, who supported a research trip to the Arctic.
Dedicated to Rosie Okpik and Enukie Akulukjuk of Pangnirtung.
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File includes score masters; pencil manuscript, missing bars 1-201; worksheets, manuscript re-writes, original pencil manuscript; master parts.
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "This manuscript starts with the third movement "Polar Night".
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Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "I created *Arctic Dreams* out of *Snow Walker*."
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Dedicated to Marina Piccinini.
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File includes pencil chaffs, sketch pages.
Dedicated to Joaquin Valdepeñas. Commissioned by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra for Joaquin Valdepeñas.
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File includes pencil score masters, copied by the composer in dark pencil + pencil manuscript pieces, overlapping drafts; score masters; piano rehearsal manuscript score; solo clarinet part, master; parts, masters.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "first conception".
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Dedicated by co-sponsors Peggy McKay "To my husband Doug, who taught me that growth comes from valuing our differences," and by David and Yvonne Fleck "In loving memory of Paul D. Fleck - continuing his enthusiastic support of artists and new works."
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File includes pencil manuscript, missing measures 1-60 "The Awakening" and photocopy of composer's hand-copied finished score; photocopy of manuscript; rewrites and corrections to score; parts, masters; score masters; new edits; score with edits.
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Dedicated to Beverley Johnston.
Premiered May 8, 1994.
Commissioned for Beverley Johnston by the Guelph Spring Festival on a grant from the Canada Council.
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File includes score, published by Colgrass Music.
Commissioned by the University of Miami Wind Ensemble, Gary Green conductor, and premiered at the Southern Division CBDNA Conference on 27 January 1996.
Dedicated to Gary Green.
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File includes early sketches, original pencil manuscript score missing page 1, piano reduction; rehearsal piano score, master and diagram master ; full score, Xerox master; original, finished pencil masters, copied by composer; parts, masters; copy of published score with annotation.
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Michael Colgrass adapted his earlier 2-piano and orchestra *Memento* for trio (flute, piano, cello) in 1999.
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File includes pencil manuscript for trio version of *Memento*; manuscript titled "Ben's Piece"; score and parts, master copies.
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Dedicated to Jacques Israelievitch and Michael Israelievitch.
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File includes original pencil manuscript copied by composer and composer's pencil copy of finished piece; pencil sketches and manuscript
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File includes score masters; final score and reduction, pencil originals copied by composer; manuscript score and notes, pencil; parts, masters.
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File includes score masters (pencil manuscript), an annotated copy, and draft material.
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File includes pencil score, including drafts and worksheets ; new master, score; parts.
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*Apache lullaby* premiered by Chris Unczur conducting the Glenbrook Middle School Concert Band at Longmeadow High School in Massachusetts on December 11, 2000.
*Beethoven machine* premiered by Michael Mucci conducting the Longmeadow High School Wind Ensemble in Massachusetts, December 11, 2003.
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File includes pencil manuscripts for Longmeadow Young band.
Commissioned by the American Composers Forum.
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File includes pencil masters for young band; edited score; original version in manuscript; choral masters; manuscript score.
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File includes pencil manuscript score; original version; score master; penultimate manuscript score; reduced score; original score, manuscript.
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Michael Colgrass note on front cover: "Original version—middle section has been revised for Georgia State University performance in October 2005."
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File includes original manuscript; final pencil manuscript, copied by composer and ready for copyist; orchestra score masters, edited; flute and piano masters, yet to be edited; flute and piano score, edited; score masters, final edit complete October 15, [2002]; parts, masters; flute and piano part with edits following the premiere.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "Pages will appear to be missing in pencil manuscript because page numberings alter as sections are re-drafted."
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Dedicated "To Ulla on her 65th Birthday."
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File includes original Schirmer score with Colgrass' notes; score masters, typescript; score masters, original pencil; master parts; parts and score from Calgary performances.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "This shows how composer laid out orchestration and which variations he selected."
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Commissioned by the Longmeadow Educational Excellence Foundation in Massachusetts.
Premiered by Daniel Albert with the Williams Middle School Concert Band on December 11, 2003.
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File includes pencil masters.
Written for the Southern Utah University Wind Symphony, conducted by James Stuart.
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File includes original pencil copy; score, master; original manuscript with worksheets and typescript score; scores, masters; parts, masters; corrected parts.
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File includes manuscript score ; score masters, including score in C and transposed score, and parts.
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File includes manuscript score; master score, corrected final version; edited, final score copy; worksheets and photocopy of manuscript for copyist; parts, masters; score, masters; early draft, worksheets; annotated piano part and orchestra diagrams.
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File includes rough manuscript, worksheets, bound edited score, and manuscript originals; corrected score and parts, masters.
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File includes complete typescript score.
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File includes manuscript score masters; score masters, typescript.
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File includes manuscript score, unedited typescript score; score masters, unedited; score with corrections; manuscript worksheets and score, with annotations.
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File includes manuscript score and edits ; score masters.
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File includes manuscript score; edited score; "Gary's copy"; typescript score; parts, with annotations; final edition.
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Published
Published
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File includes an annotated copy of the score and a revised typescript copy of the score.
Ulla Colgrass note: "Carmen—a rare aborted project. The soloist (flute) interfered with the composition and Michael gave up."
Published
File includes a thematic outline, manuscript pages, and notes.
Published
File includes score in pencil, composer's hand.
Published
File includes manuscript score and copied parts; manuscript parts in pencil and a copy of the schedule for "A New Now" at various schools.
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Published
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File includes manuscript drafts and notes.
Published
File includes draft manuscript pages. The piece was written for the University of Southern Utah.
Michael Colgrass note on original envelope: "I couldn't figure out which pieces they were a part of."
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File includes idea for a work.
Published
File includes draft of incomplete setting, titled "Spring".
Dedicated to Neal [Colgrass].
Published
File includes manuscript and copy of score.
Published
Ulla Colgrass note on original envelope: "original score, unidentified."
Published
File includes 2 partial manuscript scores titled "Drummers" and "Dream State".
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope: "Central Savings bank book showing my jump in savings when I took over the jazz drum chair in *West Side Story* on Broadway in February 1959. This bank book is my very first one in New York City, starting in September 1956 when I arrived in town and was living at 254 West 74th Street, then 325 West 75th Street."
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope of royalties: "In no order. These are hit and miss, certainly not complete, but they give an idea."
Published
Series consists of contracts for commissions, workshops, and publishing (with Carl Fischer and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, or ASCAP); royalty statements; and tax returns for Michael Colgrass (1967-1998). Series also includes articles and correspondence relating to Colgrass' Pulitzer Prize (1978) for Déjà vu, and his Central Savings bank book (1956-1959).
Some files are restricted. Contact archivist for more information.
Published
Series consists of records pertaining to the performance of Michael Colgrass' compositions, including programs from concerts that Colgrass also attended; program notes written by Colgrass; recordings, including many premiere performances; and reviews of performances.
Series arranged in 4 subseries: (1) Programs; (2) Program notes; (3) Recordings; (4) Reviews.
Published
Series consists of programs of concerts that included performances of Colgrass' compositions. The programs were predominantly collected by Colgrass when attending each concert, so this is not an exhaustive collection of all performances of Colgrass' compositions.
Files are arranged in ascending chronological order by concert season.
Date range estimated based on dates of compositions.
Published
Subseries consists of program notes for Michael Colgrass' compositions, written by Colgrass, and script notes that Colgrass used to introduce compositions from the stage. Subseries includes program and/or script notes for the following compositions: Arctic Dreams, As Quiet As, Auras, Concertino for timpani, Déjà vu, Delta, A Flute in the Kingdom of Drums and Bells, Folklines, Hammer and bow, Memento, New People, Night of the Raccoon, The Schubert Birds, Snow Walker, Strangers, Te Tuma Te Papa, Urban Requiem, Variations for Four Drums and Viola, Wild Riot of the Shaman's Dreams, and Winds of Nagual.
Notes are arranged in alphabetical order by title of composition.
Published
Subseries consists of recordings of compositions by Michael Colgrass, including many premiere performances.
Recording are arranged alphabetical order, by title of Colgrass' composition. Compilation CDs of orchestral, concerto, wind ensemble music, and music for young band are listed at the end of the subseries.
Program included with box.
Published
File consists of a recording of the premiere performance of Michael Colgrass' Adagio for Percussion Sextet at the University of Illinois by the Percussion Ensemble, conducted by Jack McKenzie (Danlee Mitchell, xylophone, small temple block; Phyllis Younger, glockenspiel, bongos; Ronny Fink, vibraphone, 2 timbales; George Frock, chimes, 2 medium tom-toms; Thomas Gauger, 2 deep tom-toms, bass drum, triangle, wood block; Richard Borden, 2 timpani, 12-inch cymbal, deep temple block, tam-tam.
Published
File consist of a recording of the world premiere performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Published
File consists of a recording of the premiere performance at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by the University of Illinois Symphonic Band, conducted by James F. Keene.
Published
File consists of a recording from the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) 1991 Conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Note from Michael Colgrass on box: "Sent to me by Ralph Thorn[?] to approve for CBC broadcast (I refused)."
Published
Published
File consists of a recording from a performance in Nashville.
Dub made from 15 ips master.
Published
File consists of a recording from a performance at the Paramount-Sanderson Theater in Springfield, Massachusetts. It includes Colgrass' introduction to the piece.
Published
File also includes recordings of other music (not by Colgrass). The recording of Bali is the world premiere of this piece, which was commissioned by the Bishop Ireton Symphonic Wind Ensemble.
Unknown performance.
Note on box: "Home-made dub, not great."
Published
File also includes a recording of Michael Colgrass' WNYC radio interview with Martin Bookspan.
Digitized copy of Martin Bookspan interview available. Contact Music Library for details.
Note on box: Sample only. Not for commercial use.
Published
File consists of a recording of the premiere performance with soloists Betty Allen, mezzo soprano; John Reardon, baritone; Gerald Norman, tenor; Katherine Boelyn, soprano.
Performers and date of performance not indicated on box label. Possibly a recording of the premiere performance.
Note on box: "Please eliminate talking at start of tape, picking up at beginning of applause and continuing on."
Published
Published
File consist of recordings of two performances of the Chaconne.
Published
File consists of a recording from Symphony Hall in Boston, Massachusetts.
Program included with box.
Published
File consists of a premiere performance on May 6, 1954 as part of Michael Colgrass' senior recital at the University of Illinois: Michael Colgrass, four drums, with Charles Joseph, violin; Imanuel Willheim, violin; Daniel Barach, viola; Achilles Balabanis, violoncello; Edward Krolick, bass.
Published
File consists of a recording of Michael Colgrass' senior recital at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Music, with various assisting musicians.
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File consists of a recording of the premiere performance at Ford Auditorium.
Note on box: "This is a rough mix without reverberation recording for Vox Records."
Published
File consists of a recording of a performance at Carnegie Hall.
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Published
File consists of a recording of a performance at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
Published
File consists of a recording of a performance at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.
Note on box: Sample only. Not for commercial use.
Published
File consists of a recording of a performance at [Fisher Hall, New York].
Published
File consists of a recording from the world premiere performance.
Published
File consists of a recording of the premiere performance.
Published
Note on box: Not for commercial use.
Published
File consists of a recording made at Symphony Hall, Boston.
Published
File consists of a recording of the concert at Symphony Hall, Boston with a poetry reading by Michael Colgrass from the Friday morning concert spliced on to the Saturday performance.
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File consists of a recording made at the Kaufmann Concert Hall, Music at the Y, in New York City.
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File consists of a recording of the premiere performance at Tully Hall.
Published
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Recording of the [premiere] performance by the Spokane Symphony (who commissioned the work).
Note on box: "Record stereo to cover glitches (15 January 1993)."
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File consists of a recording of the world premiere performance at Alice Tully Hall.
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File consists of a recording from a performance at Roy Thomson Hall.
Published
Recording of performance at the Theatre-Concert Hall, Tanglewood as part of the Festival of Contemporary American Music.
Piece appears in the program as *Miami*.
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File consists of a recording of the world premiere performance.
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File consists of a recording of the [premiere?] performance at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln center for the Performing Arts.
Box does not include performer details or date of performance.
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File consists of a recording of a performance at the Lincoln Centre (possibly the world premiere performance).
Published
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File consists of a recording from the senior recital of Margaret Cornman, mezzo soprano, accompanied by Glenn Parker, piano with Irene Wade, viola in the Kulas Recital Hall at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music.
Published
File consists of a recording from a performance on April 14, 1979. Commissioned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) for broadcast on April 29, 1979.
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File consists of a recording of the performance staged by Michael Colgrass at the University of Illinois.
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File consists of a recording made in the Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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File consists of a recording at Tivoli Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark
Unknown performance.
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File consists of a recording from the premiere performance.
Published
File consists of a recording of the performance at the Calgary International Organ Festival in the Carthy Organ, Jack Singer Concert Hall, Calgary Centre for Performing Arts.
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Published
File cosnsists of a dubbed recording from the CBC broadcast tape of the Wigmore Hall premiere in London, England.
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File consists of a live performance of U.S. premiere at Merkin Concert Hall, Abraham Goodman House in New York on December 19, 1988.
Published
Published
File possibly consists of a recording of the premiere performance (performer and date not indicated on box). Tales of Power was premiered by Robert Chumble at the Theresa L. Kaufmann Concert Hall, Music at the Y, in New York City on November 9, 1980.
Published
File consists of a recording of the world premiere at the Theresa L. Kaufmann Concert Hall, Music at the Y.
Published
File consists of a recording at Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis.
Published
Published
Published
Colgrass also performed New People, As Quiet As, and The Earth's a Baked Apple in the same concert.
Published
Note from Don Stewart enclosed in box: "Mike, enclosed find tape. I got the level too low on our rendition - so there's too much tape noise. It's a nice piece and we enjoyed playing it. Too bad the Times didn't send a reviewer."
Published
File includes two performances of Colgrass' Woodwind Quintet: New York Wind Quintet (Samuel Baron, flute; Ronald Roseman, oboe; David Grazer, clarinet; Ralph Froelich, horn; Autumn Weisberg, bassoon), recorded live at the Fine Arts Auditorium of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (July 10, 1967); Boehm Quintette (Susan Stewart, flute; Phyllis Bohl, oboe; Don Stewart, clarinet; Bob Carlisle, horn; Richard Vrotney, bassoon), recorded at WBAI radio, New York City on January 16, 1974.
Published
File consists of the premiere performance in Boston, Massachusetts.
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File consists of a recording of Michael Colgrass conducting the Marine Band at the Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.
Published
File consists of a recording of the [premiere performance?].
Published
File consists of a recording of the Western Canadian premiere of Wolf, with an introduction by the composer. The audio reel also includes a recording of *L'histoire du Soldat* by Stravinsky with Richard Ouzounian as narrator and Michael Colgrass, conductor. Both pieces were part of a Music Inter Alia concert at the Winnipeg Art Gallery.
Unknown performances.
Published
File includes recordings of Chaconne, Arias, and Déjà vu.
Published
File includes recordings of Apache lullaby, The Beethoven machine, and Gotta make noise
Unknown performances.
Published
File includes recordings of As quiet as, The Schubert birds, Letter from Mozart, Snow Walker, and an interview about The Schubert birds.
Beverley Johnston premiered Te Tuma Te Papa at the Guelph Spring Festival on May 8, 1994.
Recording of Wild Riot of the Shaman's Dreams, performed by Marina Piccinini, flute, possibly from a concert in Arkansas, ca. 1995.
Published
Unknown performances.
Published
File includes the Winds of Nagual, Urban Requiem, and Arctic Dreams.
Published
File consists of a recording of "U.S. Highball" by Harry Partch as performed by Gate 5 Ensemble of Evanston Illinois (Danlee Mitchell, David Reid, Dick Borden, Elizabeth Gentry, Melvin Britton, Melvin Wildberger, Michael Colgrass), conducted by Jack McKenzie.
Published
File consists of a compilation tape of "crazy modern music" (not by Michael Colgrass).
Note from Ulla Colgrass: "Although he [Ray Ferris, friend, artist and mathematician] lived two floors below us, he and Michael shared the same creative space. Ray turned Michael’s music into art that swirled and entranced. Michael looked at Ray’s art on our walls and named his favourite picture 'Debussy'."
Published
File consists of a video file with art created by Ray Ferris. Recording by Joanne Kong, harpsichord and piano, and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project conducted by Gil Rose from the CD *Side by Side* (BMOP sound 1064, April 2019).
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope of press clippings from Denmark tour: "On first Guggenheim concerts of my music and with me playing, culminating in premiere with the Danish Radio Orchestra of the work I wrote there: *Rhapsodic Fantasy* for 15 drums and orchestra."
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope of press clippings from Fort Wayne residency: "Articles about my activities. An astonishing month culminating in my article for the New York Times called 'Then I Stood on my Head,' 28 May 1972."
Published
Subseries consists of reviews of performances of compositions by Michael Colgrass: Arctic Dreams, Arias, As Quiet As, Auras, The Beethoven Machine, Best Wishes U.S.A., Chaconne, Concertino for timpani, Concertmasters, Crossworlds, Déjà vu, Delta, Dream Dancer, The Earth's a Baked Apple, Fantasy-Variations, Flashbacks, A Flute in the Kingdom of Drums and Bells, Hammer and bow, Image of Man, Letter from Mozart, Light spirit, Memento, New People, Nightingale, Inc., Raag Mala, Rhapsody for clarinet, violin, and piano, The Schubert Birds, Sea Shadow, The Snow Walker, Something's Gonna Happen, Strangers, Te Tuma Te Papa, Theatre of the Universe, Three Brothers, Urban Requiem, Variations for Four Drums and Viola, Virgil's Dream, Wild Riot of the Shaman's Dreams, Winds of Nagual, and music for young band (including Apache Lullaby, The Beethoven Machine, and Old Churches).
Subseries also includes reviews from his tour in Denmark (1964-1965); writing a ballet overnight for the Joffrey Company (Sea Shadow); reports of Colgrass "catching a thief at the Chemical Bank" in New York; Deep Listening with the Orford String Quartet at the Stratford Summer Music Festival; articles on his Fort Wayne residency (1971); interviews with Colgrass (including a taped interview "Soundings no. 101" from WBGH and CBC); miscellaneous news items and announcements of events; and general reviews and articles about Colgrass.
Press reviews for specific compositions are grouped by title and arranged alphabetically. All other files are at the end of the subseries.
Published
Series consists of professional portraits of Michael Colgrass, as well as photographs from workshops, concerts, and rehearsals, and family photographs. Series includes photographs of Colgrass in Stuttgart when he was a timpanist with the Seventh Army Symphony Orchestra (1955-1956); from his time in Copenhagen for the performance of his Rhapsodic Fantasy by the Danish Radio Orchestra conducted by Tamas Vetö (1965); from his Fort Wayne Residency (1972); of his rehearsals with the Canadian Brass for Flashbacks (1979); from a production of Colgrass' "Something's gonna happen" at Duggan Jr. High School in Edmonton, Alberta (1982); from rehearsals of Chaconne with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Davis (1984); neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) workshops, particularly at the Dynamic Learning Center at NLPU in Santa Cruz, California (1987); workshop at University of New Mexico (1988); at Longmeadow High School and Springfield Public School in Massachusetts (1992); University of Manitoba workshop (1997); and Winona Drive School workshop (1999).
Published
Series consists of notes and scripts used for various workshops led by Michael Colgrass, and select recordings of these workshops.
Series arranged in two subseries: (1) Scrips, handouts, and notes; (2) Recordings of workshops.
Descriptions of Michael Colgrass' workshops from his website:
* Deep Listening: A workshop for music lovers. Techniques for listening to various styles of music in new ways. Maximum 50 people.)
* Vision: A workshop for creating your future. For entrepreneurs in any profession (2 hours)
* The Language Maze (TM): A workshop on how to use language to persuade and influence (one full day). For teachers, trainers, organizers, therapists, politicians, litigation lawyers, or anyone for whom communication and the elicitation of information is critical.
* Excellence in Performance: This is a participatory workshop, not a lecture. Performers wear loose clothing and will be physically as well as mentally active throughout the three 3-hour sessions. Colgrass' goal is to quickly re-route undesirable performing habits, and participants often report noticeable changes in their performance after only one day in his workshops.
* Neuro-Linguistic Programming: Colgrass got interested in these techniques of modeling and became an NLP trainer, whom [John] Grinder used in his workshops, especially as related to creativity, performance and self-hypnosis. Colgrass now teaches NLP as an alternate activity to his composing, traveling the world and working with people in various professions. His workshops on stage fright, and work with private individuals suffering from performance anxiety, has gained a wide reputation.
Published
Subseries consists of scripts, handouts, notes, correspondence, brochures, and other supporting materials for workshops by Michael Colgrass, including his Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) series, "Excellence in Performance" workshop, "Deep Listening" workshop, "Vision" workshop, "The Language Maze" workshop (previously "Tuning the Human Instrument"), "Meet the Composer," and a proposed Rockefeller Theatre Project (which led to Nightingale, Inc.).
Subseries also includes notes for Colgrass' workshops at public schools: Longmeadow (including articles about this experience); Winona Drive (including collaborative score created with children); and Rockcliffe Park (including collaborative score created with children, titled "Les Sauvages"); Frances Shames Community Music School (diagrams of "As Quiet As," created by children).
Subseries also contains scripts for other speeches given by Michael Colgrass, including the commencement address at the University of Illinois (1995), a speech that he gave at Toronto City Council (2004), and statements and correspondence relating to his time on the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) board.
Files are grouped by workshop or project.
Published
Subseries consists of audio and video recordings of Michael Colgrass' workshops, including workshops at Ohio State University and the University of Florida; John Grinder hypnosis with Michel Colgrass in New York City (January 31, 1982); rehearsals with "The President's Own" United States Marine Band for The Winds of Nagual (April 21, 1986); Excellence in Performance workshops (March 7, 1987; July 12, 1988; July 1990; and July 13, 1992); composer's symposium at the University of New Mexico, including performances of Fantasy-Variations, Memento, and Flashbacks (1989); and videos of Michael Colgrass and Hartford Professor Glen Adsit teaching graphic notation.
Published
Series consists of manuscripts, drafts, notes, and clippings pertaining to various writings by Michael Colgrass, including articles written for journals, magazines, and newspapers; two books; his correspondence with friends and colleagues; and poems and satires.
Series is arranged in 5 subseries by type of writing: (1) Articles; (2) Books; (3) Letters; (4) Poems and satires; (5) Reviews of writings.
Published
Subseries consists of drafts, manuscripts, and copies of articles written by Michael Colgrass, including his column "Speaking of Music" and various stand-alone articles written for journals, magazines, and newspapers.
Published
File consists of drafts, manuscripts, and copies of articles written by Michael Colgrass, including his column "Speaking of Music" for Music Magazine (1979-1988, later renamed Classical Music Magazine, and then Opus: Canada's Essential Jazz & Classical Music Source).
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope regarding "Let the Public Decide": "Article that never went anywhere—not well thought through. But interesting points are made and my attitude in the early 1960s is seen."
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope regarding unfinished writings on the situation of the composer: "These may have culminated in the unpublished article I wrote called 'The Lion and Mrs. Camembert' (trying to explain it all to myself."
Published
File consists of drafts, manuscripts, and clippings of various stand-alone articles written by Michael Colgrass for journals, magazines, and newspapers. Among them are "Wanted: Music for the Young" (written for New York Times, May 28, 1972); "Composer and the Public (Let the Public Decide)" (a failed article); "How to Help a Friend (and Yourself)" (for Jam Magazine, 1983-1984); "The Role of the Composer: Incident on 57th Street" (for the World Music Week Conference, Canada 1975); "Then I Stood on My Head" (for New York Times, May 28, 1972); "A Composer Who'll Try Anything - Once" (for New York Times, November 17, 1968); "Catch-22 for Composers: You need another job to support yourself"; "The Dreaming Room"; "Jazz: The Great Lessons to be Learned" (for Musicanada, Winter 1981); "Small Essay on my Early Percussion Music" (for Percussive Notes, August 1996); "Paul Price and the Development of Percussion in America" (for Percussive Notes, June 2004); "A Composer Talks Business" (for The Christian Science Monitor, February 11, 1985); "The Lion and Mrs. Camembert" (unpublished article about the composer and the public); "The Secret to Creativity: Think like a Kid" (for Adultita, October 2004); "Composers and Children: A Future Creative Force (Music Educators Journal, September 2004); and unfinished writings on "the situation of the composer" (1958-1960).
Published
Subseries consists of manuscript drafts, notes, and ideas for Colgrass' books My Lessons with Kumi: How I Learned to Perform with Confidence in Life and Work (published by Real People Press, 2000) and Adventures of of an American Composer: An Autobiography (previously titled The Life of an American Composer: A novel of Anecdotes and Notes; published by Meredith Music, 2010).
Published
Subseries consists of ingoing and outgoing correspondence, including general personal and professional correspondence (including correspondence with orchestras and universities), correspondence pertaining to the Brighton Festival and Virgil's Dream premiere (1967), correspondence with Carl Fischer (1970s-1980s), responses from composers-in-residence (1977, 1987), correspondence relating to Colgrass' Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP workshops), letters of professional importance, correspondence relating to his book My Lessons with Kumi, and correspondence from "well-known" people.
The latter (as identified by Colgrass) include: Pegeen Albig, Samuel Baron, Robert B. Browne, assistant to Leonard Bernstein, Elaine Bonazzi, Benjamin Boretz, Henry Brant, John Cage, Helen Carter, Elliott Carter, Norma Clark, Cyril Clemens, Artur Cohn, Aaron Copland, Norman Cousins (editor, Saturday Review), George Crumb, Peter Maxwell Davies, Harry Ellis Dickson, John Duffy, Frederick Fennell, Lukas Foss, Gerald Freund, Paul Fromm, Jimmy Giuffre, Philip Glass, Alexander Goehr, Morton Gould, Cyril Harris, Lorin Hollander, Karel Husa, President Lyndon B. Johnson, Walter Kerr, Coretta Scott King (Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr.), Alison Knowles, Lee Konitz, Erich Leinsdorf, Erich Leinsdorf, Rolf Liebermann, Norman Lloyd, Marya Mannes (author and editor of The Reporter), Jackson Martindell, Peter Mennin, Hans Moldenhauer, Oskar Morawetz, Eugene Ormandy, Al Payson, Seymour Peck, Vincent Persichetti, Harold Pinter, David Reck, Jerome Robbins, George Rochberg, Julius Rudel, Winthrop Sargeant, Kenneth Schermerhorn, Harold C. Schonberg, Gunther Schuller, Paul Scofield (actor), Maria Sentivany, Roger Sessions, Gerald Shang, Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Harold Spivacke, Kurt Stone, Igor Stravinsky, Virgil Thomson, Francis Thorne, George Trautwein, Fredric Waldman, Ben Weber, and Carol Wincenc.
General correspondence arranged chronologically by decade. Correspondence with "significant" individuals separated out by Michael Colgrass.
Note accompanying file "Poems written in London, 1967" from Ulla Colgrass: "Michael's poems, written while in London (UK) in 1967. Most were used in *New People*, a song cycle, premiered at the opening of Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Centre by Shirley Verrett et al."
Note from Michael Colgrass: "Many [poems from the 1960s] never made the cut for use in pieces. But these show the work process."
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope containing "Night of the Raccoon" poetry: "My poetry settings on Shichan [Takashima]'s book excerpts - *Child in a Prison Camp*."
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope containing sketches of poetry from the 1960s: "Not good, but working my way to some good ones."
Published
Subseries consists of manuscripts, drafts, and sketches of poems by Michael Colgrass, including poetry used for Colgrass' compositions (New People; Nightingale, Inc.; Night of the Raccoon), poetry used in readings given by Colgrass at several universities, and "Lionel the Wonderful" (satire, including the New York Times article for inspiration about "Lionel"). Subseries also includes a copy of Colgrass' first published poem, age 17, in The Inland Journal: "The Dark Room (February 1949).
Published
Subseries consists of reviews and advertisements for Colgrass' books, Adventures of an American Composer and My Lessons with Kumi.
Note from Michael Colgrass on original envelope containing passport: "My first passport, showing tour to Europe and Russia, Bulgaria and Romania with American Ballet Theatre (6 month tour).
Published
Series consists of miscellaneous memorabilia and biographical information pertaining to Michael Colgrass, including Ulla Colgrass' speech for the celebration of Michael Colgrass at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music (2019); biographies of Michael Colgrass and lists of his works and recordings; letters saved as "Ego boosters"; Michael Colgrass' first passport; a "Wanted" poster for Michael Colgrass; astrological charts for the Colgrass family; humorous drawings and writings; and a certificate for the "Michael Colgrass" star from the International Star Registry.
Series also includes videos from Colgrass' 85th birthday party (2017), obituaries, sympathy notes from friends and colleagues following his death, and videos from the Michael Colgrass Life Celebration Party held at Walter Hall, University of Toronto Faculty of Music (November 2019).