His innovations were an important early step in the development of big band jazz and dance music. For Hickman, Grofé conceived arrangements that divided the ensemble into separate brass and reed sections, writing countermelodies to the main melody and using different musical settings for each return of the chorus to a piece. He played viola with the Los Angeles Symphony from 1909 through 1919 concurrently, he worked with drummer Art Hickman’s orchestra starting in 1914. By 1908 he was performing as a violinist, violist, and pianist. Although his parents had wanted him to study law, he left college to focus on music. Grofé was reared in Los Angeles, where his father was an actor and singer and his mother taught music and played cello.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |