Dates

• Existence: 1930-

Biographical History

Frederick H. Clark was a composer and conductor of music in central Utah.

Frederick H. Clark was born June 7, 1930 in Springville Utah. His interest in music began around the age of 10, when he started studying piano with Professor Nelson at Brigham Young University. He later played in the percussion section of the local school bands and orchestra. At the age of 15, his first composition was performed by the Springville Civic Orchestra.

As a high school student, Clark attended music composition classes provided by Brigham Young University. LeRoy J. Robertson taught these first classes. Later on he would study composition with Leon Dallin, Carl Furstner, and Crawford Gates--also Brigham Young University professors. For his Master's degree, he wrote "Symphony For Band" as a thesis. The piece has been played, mostly by college bands, all over the United States. Clark credits its success to Ralph Laycock, a band Director at BYU, who worked hard to circulate the piece.

Clark then taught music at both American Fork and Lehi High School. He later left to attend the University of Washington in Seattle, where he had been accepted to work on his PhD in Music Composition. While attending the University Dr. Welke, Band Director, performed his old composition, "Symphony For Band." Here, Clark had the opportunity to work with professors Verrell and Stanley Chapel.

Shortly after arriving in Seattle he auditioned for the Seattle Symphony and spent the next several years performing under the baton of Milton Katims. Because of the Seattle World's Fair, the symphony performed in the Old Orpheum Theatre until the new Opera House was completed.

In the following years, he found several conducting positions. He remembers fondly training the Thalia Symphony in the more modern scores, even saying it, "was a fantastic experience," to conduct them in concert.

In 1996, the Olympia Symphony of Olympia, Washington performed his composition "The Seventh Day Of Ielool." In more recent years, he has made a number of hymn arrangements for the choir. Both he and his wife, Maureen, have conducted choirs using those new arrangements.

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