Whyte Ian

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Whyte Ian

Whyte, Ian, Scottish conductor, broadcasting administrator, and composer; b. Dunfermline, Aug. 13, 1901; d. Glasgow, March 27, 1960. He was a pupil of David Stephen (composition) and Philip Halstead (piano) at the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust Music School, and later was a student of Stanford and Vaughan Williams at the Royal Coll. of Music in London. Upon his return to Scotland, he was made music director to Lord Glentanar in 1923. From 1931 to 1945 he was head of music for the BBC in Glasgow, and then conductor of its orch. from 1945 until his death. His extensive output, which includes operas, operettas, ballets, 2 syms., symphonic poems, overtures, concertos, chamber music, piano pieces, choruses, hymns, carols, and many songs, reflects his Scottish heritage.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire