Writing Resources
William Grant Still was a very talented conductor and he was the first African American to have Major productions of both a symphony and an opera Early Childhood Life William Grant Still was born on May 11th 1895 in Woodville Mississippi After his father who Was a college educated math professor and bandmaster died when William was a baby his Mother moved the family to live with Still s grandmother in Little Rock Arkansas His Childhood home was filled with the sounds of his grandmother singing spiritual songs When William s mother Carrie got married her new husband got accustomed to the new environment And frequently took William to classical music concerts Leaving His Life Behind For His Music When William enrolled into Wilberforce University 1911 in Ohio he started to study music Near the time to graduate William dropped out and turned his full attention to his music Early Adult Life His well known orchestral compositions include 1924 s Darker America and 1926 s From the Black Belt He was Received the Guggenheim fellowships in the years 1934 and 1935 At this school his musical talents grew He mastered multiple orchestral and band
