Dates

• Existence: 1921-

Biographical History

Crawford Gates (1921- ) is an American conductor and composer. He has written music that is very well known and he is best known for his work "Promised Valley" and the hymn, "Our Savior's Love."

Crawford Gates was born in December 1921, in San Francisco. He grew up in Palo Alto, California, and was educated in that city, with Stanford University right there. He was influenced culturally by the plays and concerts available to him, and at the age of eight could play the piano and composed his first piece. In high school, he had the opportunity to take high quality viola lessons and played that until his two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (in the eastern states mission) at the age of eighteen. Crawford Gates composed his first piece of music at the age of eight and has since then composed over eight hundred titles. He wrote ten more pieces between the ages of eight and twelve and then the depression hit. In 1932 his family lost everything and they lived in semi-poverty for six years. He was drafted into the navy at the age of twenty. He got out of the war in 1946. After the war he received his BA at San Jose State University, his MA at Brigham Young University under the direction of LeRoy Robertson, and his PhD from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. He also studied conducting under the direction of Eleazar de Carvalho and Hans Swarowsky.

His composer debut was at Stanford University in 1938. He was a conductor of the Utah Symphony, Symphony Orchestra and Opera at Brigham Young University, and the Rockford Symphony Orchestra. His compositions include six stage works, seven symphonies, tone poems, suites, concertos, numerous choral arrangements, four major choral works, trumpet concertino and horn sonata, and a pentameron for piano and orchestra.

His recordings include Symphony No. 2, Orchestral Setting of Beloved Hymns, included on Philadelphia Orchestra Album; The Lord's Prayer and A Jubilant Song; Music to the New Hill Cumorah Pageant, 1988; Promised Valley.

Citation:

International Who's Who is Classical Music 2010, 2010: p. 289 (b. December 29, 1921; m. Georgia Lauper 1952 and had two sons and two daughters, attended San Jose State College (for his BA), Brigham Young University (for his MA), Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester (for his PhD), debut at Stanford University as composer 1938; Utah Symphony as conductor; Symphony Orchestra and Opera, Brigham Young Univ.; Rockford Symphony Orchestra 1970-86; Compositions include: six stage works, seven symphonies, Tone Poems, Suites, Concertos, numerous choral arrangements, four major choral works, trumpet concertino, and horn sonata; Pentameron for piano and orchestra; Recordings: Symphony No. 2, Orchestral Setting of Beloved Hymns, included on Philadelphia Orchestra Album; The Lord's Prayer and A Jubilant Song; Music to the New Hill Cumorah Pageant, 1988; Promised Valley)

Crawford Gates audio cassettes, 1953-1967 (born in San Francisco 1921; grew up and educated there with Stanford University right there; influenced culturally, plays, concerts, etc. played viola until mission; composed 10 pieces between ages of 8 and 12, then depression hit; 1932, they lost everything; lived in semi-poverty for 6 years; served mission eastern states mission at 18; got out of war in 1946; after war education: LeRoy Robertson at BYU)

Found in 7 Collections and/or Records: