Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

February 20, 1911 in Tucson, AZ

Death

:

2007

Period

:

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Orchestral

 

Robert Guyn McBride was an American composer and pianist who was born on December 28, 1911, in the small town of Larned, Kansas. He was the youngest of three children born to a family of farmers. His father was a self-taught musician who played the fiddle and the harmonica, and his mother was a homemaker who encouraged her children to pursue their interests. McBride showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He was largely self-taught until the age of 14 when he began taking lessons from a local piano teacher. He quickly progressed and began performing at local events and competitions. In 1929, McBride enrolled at the University of Kansas to study music. He studied composition with the renowned composer and teacher, Bernard Rogers, and piano with the pianist and pedagogue, Frank Heneghan. McBride was a talented student and won several awards and scholarships during his time at the university. After graduating in 1933, McBride moved to New York City to pursue a career as a composer and pianist. He studied composition with the composer and teacher, Aaron Copland, and piano with the pianist and pedagogue, Carl Friedberg. McBride also became involved in the New York music scene and began performing at various venues around the city. In 1936, McBride was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship to study composition in Europe. He spent a year in Paris studying with the composer and teacher, Nadia Boulanger, and the pianist and pedagogue, Isidor Philipp. McBride also traveled extensively throughout Europe, attending concerts and meeting other composers and musicians. Upon his return to the United States in 1937, McBride settled in Los Angeles and began working as a composer and pianist. He quickly became involved in the Hollywood film industry and began composing music for films and television shows. McBride also continued to perform as a pianist and gave concerts throughout the United States. McBride's music is characterized by its lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and use of traditional forms. He was influenced by the music of the Romantic era, as well as by the music of his contemporaries, such as Copland and Boulanger. McBride's compositions include orchestral works, chamber music, piano music, and vocal music. One of McBride's most famous works is his Piano Concerto, which was premiered in 1945 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The concerto is a virtuosic work that showcases McBride's skill as a pianist and his talent as a composer. The work is in three movements and features a lyrical first movement, a lively second movement, and a dramatic third movement. Another notable work by McBride is his String Quartet No. 1, which was premiered in 1940 by the Kolisch Quartet. The quartet is a complex and challenging work that showcases McBride's skill as a composer. The work is in four movements and features a variety of moods and textures. McBride's other notable works include his Symphony No. 1, which was premiered in 1942 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, his Sonata for Violin and Piano, which was premiered in 1947 by the violinist Yehudi Menuhin and the pianist Louis Kentner, and his Three Songs for Soprano and Orchestra, which were premiered in 1950 by the soprano Eleanor Steber and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. McBride continued to compose and perform throughout his life, and he remained active in the music community until his death on January 3, 1960, at the age of 48.

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