Role

:

Ensemble

Country

:

United States of America

Formed

:

June 15, 1894 in Kansas City, MO

Disband

:

August 18, 1981 in New York City, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Band

 

 

Band

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Choral

 

 

Choral

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Vocal

 

 

Vocal

 

Robert Russell Bennett was an American composer and arranger who was born on June 15, 1894, in Kansas City, Missouri. He was the son of a prominent attorney and a talented pianist, and his parents encouraged his musical interests from an early age. Bennett began studying piano and composition as a child, and he showed a natural talent for both. Bennett's musical education continued at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music, where he studied composition with Howard Hanson and piano with Harold Bauer. After graduating in 1919, Bennett moved to New York City to pursue a career in music. He quickly established himself as a versatile and talented arranger, working on Broadway shows and with popular singers such as Paul Whiteman and Bing Crosby. In the 1930s, Bennett began to focus more on composing his own music. He wrote several works for orchestra, including his Symphony in G Minor, which was premiered by the New York Philharmonic in 1935. Bennett's music was characterized by its lush harmonies, colorful orchestration, and melodic lyricism. During World War II, Bennett served in the U.S. Army as a music director for the Special Services Division. He wrote and arranged music for military bands and orchestras, and he also conducted performances for troops stationed overseas. After the war, Bennett returned to his career as a composer and arranger, working on Broadway shows such as South Pacific, The King and I, and My Fair Lady. Bennett's most famous works are his arrangements of classic American songs and musicals. He was known for his ability to take existing music and transform it into something new and exciting. His arrangements of George Gershwin's music, including the famous Rhapsody in Blue, are considered some of his best work. Bennett also arranged music for films, including The Wizard of Oz and Singin' in the Rain. In addition to his work as a composer and arranger, Bennett was also a respected educator. He taught at the Juilliard School and the Manhattan School of Music, and he wrote several influential books on orchestration and arranging. Bennett's students included some of the most successful composers and arrangers of the 20th century, including Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Bennett continued to work as a composer and arranger until his death in 1981. His legacy lives on through his music, which continues to be performed and recorded by orchestras and ensembles around the world. Bennett's contributions to American music are significant, and his influence can be heard in the work of countless composers and arrangers who have followed in his footsteps.

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