Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

March 3, 1913 in Chicago, IL

Death

:

April 26, 1972 in Los Angeles, CA

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Margaret Allison Bonds was an African American composer and pianist who was born on March 3, 1913, in Chicago, Illinois. She was the youngest of three children born to Dr. Monroe Alpheus Bonds, a prominent African American physician, and Estella C. Bonds, a schoolteacher. Her father was a strong advocate for education and encouraged his children to pursue their interests. Margaret showed an early interest in music and began taking piano lessons at the age of four. Margaret Bonds attended the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and later enrolled at Northwestern University, where she studied composition with the renowned composer and musicologist, George Whitefield Chadwick. She also studied piano with Florence B. Price, who was the first African American woman to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra. Bonds was deeply influenced by Price's music and became a lifelong friend and collaborator. In 1933, Bonds graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Music degree. She then moved to New York City to study with the composer Roy Harris at the Juilliard School of Music. Bonds was one of the few African American students at Juilliard at the time and faced discrimination and prejudice. Despite these challenges, she persevered and graduated with a Master of Music degree in 1937. Bonds began her career as a composer in the 1930s and quickly gained recognition for her work. In 1934, she won first prize in the Wanamaker Foundation Awards for her composition, "Troubled Water," which was based on the spiritual "Wade in the Water." The piece became one of her most famous works and was later arranged for orchestra by the composer William Grant Still. Bonds was also a prolific composer of art songs and wrote over 100 works in this genre. Her songs were often based on the poetry of African American writers, including Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and James Weldon Johnson. Bonds was deeply committed to promoting the work of African American artists and was a member of the Harlem Renaissance movement. In addition to her work as a composer, Bonds was also a talented pianist and performed extensively throughout her career. She often performed her own compositions and was known for her interpretations of the music of African American composers, including Florence B. Price and William Grant Still. Bonds was also a dedicated teacher and mentor to young musicians. She taught at several universities, including the University of Michigan, where she was the first African American woman to hold a full-time faculty position in the School of Music. Bonds was a beloved teacher and inspired many of her students to pursue careers in music. Throughout her career, Bonds faced discrimination and prejudice because of her race and gender. She was often excluded from mainstream classical music circles and struggled to gain recognition for her work. Despite these challenges, she remained committed to her art and continued to create music that celebrated the African American experience. Margaret Bonds died on April 26, 1972, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 59. She left behind a legacy of groundbreaking music that continues to inspire and influence musicians today. Her work has been performed by major orchestras and ensembles around the world and has been recorded by numerous artists.

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