Burnet Corwin Tuthill (November 16, 1888 – January 18, 1982) was an American conductor, composer and musicologist.[1][2] He co-founded the National Association of Schools of Music and served as its secretary from 1924 to 1959. He also organized and became the first conductor of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.[1]

Burnet Tuthill
Born
Burnet Corwin Tuthill

(1888-11-16)November 16, 1888
DiedJanuary 18, 1982(1982-01-18) (aged 93)
ParentWilliam Tuthill (father)
Academic background
EducationColumbia University (BA)
Cincinnati College of Music (MA)
Academic work
Institutions

Biography

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Tuthill was born in New York City on November 16, 1888, the son of Carnegie Hall architect William Tuthill. He received his B.A. from Columbia University in 1909.[3] He played clarinet in the Columbia University Orchestra and later became its conductor.[4]

After Columbia, Tuthill began a career in business.[5] From 1922 to 1930, he was business manager of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. He studied at the Cincinnati College of Music between 1930 and 1935, earning a master's degree in 1935.[1] He did not begin to compose until 1927, when he was 39 years of age.[6]

Tuthill became music director of Southwestern at Memphis (now Rhodes College) after receiving his degree. He later became music director of the Memphis College of Music, which later merged with Rhodes, and founded the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, serving as conductor from 1938 to 1946.[7] Among his students in the Memphis College of Music was the composer Moondog.[8]

Tuthill founded the Society for the Publication of American Music (SPAM) in 1919 and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) in 1924, serving as its secretary from 1924 to 1959.[9]

Tuthill died in Knoxville, Tennessee, on January 18, 1982.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Burnet Tuthill - Keiser Southern Music". keisersouthernmusic.com. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  2. ^ "Burnet C. Tuthill : his life and music | MSU Libraries". d.lib.msu.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  3. ^ Columbia College (Columbia University). Office of Alumni Affairs and Development; Columbia College (Columbia University) (1955). Columbia College today. Columbia University Libraries. New York, N.Y. : Columbia College, Office of Alumni Affairs and Development.
  4. ^ "Burnet Tuthill - Tritone Press & Tenuto Publications". www.tritone-tenuto.com. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  5. ^ Weerts, Richard (1982). "Review of Burnet C. Tuthill: His Life and Music". Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education (70): 31–34. ISSN 0010-9894. JSTOR 40317710.
  6. ^ "Burnet Tuthill (1888-1982)". Earsense. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  7. ^ "Collection: Tuthill Family Collection | SCOUT". scout.lib.utk.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  8. ^ "Shelf Life: Moondog". Memphis magazine. 2008-03-01. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  9. ^ "Society for the Publication of American Music - IMSLP: Free Sheet Music PDF Download". imslp.org. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  10. ^ Roberts, Joel. "Research Guides: Memphis Composers: Burnet Tuthill". libguides.memphis.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-22.