McKay, George Frederick

McKay, George Frederick, American composer and teacher; b. Harrington, Wash., June 11, 1899; d. Stateline, Nev., Oct. 4, 1970. He was a student of Palmgren and Sinding at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y, where he was the first student in composition to graduate there (B.M., 1923). In 1927 he joined the faculty of the Univ. of Wash, in Seattle, where he later was a prof. (1943–68). He publ, the book Creative Orchestration (1963). In his music, McKay often made use of folk melodies.

Works

orch.: 4 sinfoniettas (1925–42); Fantasy on a Western Folk Song (Rochester, N.Y., May 3, 1933); From a Mountain Town (1934); Port Royal 1861, suite for Strings (1939); Bravura Prelude for Brass Ensemble (Rochester, N.Y., April 30, 1939); To a Liberator: A Lincoln Tribute (1939–40; Indianapolis, March 15, 1940); Introspective Poem for Strings (Philadelphia, April 3, 1941); A Prairie Portrait (San Francisco, Sept. 4, 1941); Pioneer Epic (Oakland, Calif., Feb. 17, 1942); Cello Concerto (1942); Music of the Americas, suites (1947–50); Evocation Symphony (1951); Song Over the Great Plains (1954); 6 Pieces on Winter Moods and Patterns (1961). chamber: Wind Quintet (1930); Piano Trio (1931); American Street Scenes for Clarinet, Bassoon, Trombone, Saxophone, and Piano (1935); Trombone Sonata (1951); Suite for Chamber Ensemble (1958); Suite for Harp and Flute (1960); Sonatina expressiva for Brass Quintet (1966); Andante mistico for 8 Cellos and Piano (1968); 4 string quartets; piano pieces; organ music. vocal:Choral works; part songs; various other pieces, including works for students.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire