Claude Marion Almand (May 31, 1915 – September 12, 1957) was a musician and professor of music at several American universities. Almand was a professor at the
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville (UofL) is a public research university in Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Kentucky state university system. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of ...
from 1948 to 1953. In 1953, he was appointed the dean of
Stetson University
Stetson University is a private university with four colleges and schools located across the I–4 corridor in Central Florida with the primary undergraduate campus in DeLand. The university was founded in 1883 and was later established in 1887 ...
's School of Music.
Early life and education
Almand was born on May 31, 1915 in Winnsboro, Louisiana to Claude F. Almand and Pearl Harrison.
[Marquis Who's Who, Inc. ''Who Was Who in American History, the Military''. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975. P. 9 H ] He was the youngest of four boys born to the couple. His father was a Baptist minister. He attended the Sherwood School of Music in Chicago from 1934 to 1935.
He received a Masters in Music degree from Louisiana State University in 1938.
He received his doctoral degree (PhD) from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester in 1940.
Personal life
On July 27, 1950, he married Lenoir Patton.
Career
Almand also served for a time on the faculty of the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) is a Baptist theological institute in Louisville, Kentucky. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. The seminary was founded in 1859 in Greenville, South Carolina, where it was at ...
in their music division. Almand received two commissions from the Louisville Orchestra. The first was for the John Gilbert Overture, the second for the Piano Concerto. The concerto was first performed with Benjamin Owen as soloist.
Selected works
*''Pondy Woods'' (1938)
*''The Legend of the Last Isle'' (1939)
* Symphony: 'The Waste Land'' (1940)
* Fanfare of Praise (SATB)
* Psalm 100 (SATB)
* Dedication Anthem (SATB)
* Toccata for Piano and small Orchestra
* Five Piano Sonatas
* John Gilbert: A Steamboat Overture for Orchestra
* Piano Concerto
* Roustabout: overture for Band
* The Resurrection Story: Cantata for Soloists, Chorus and Organ
Death and legacy
Almand died on September 12, 1957.
He died in an automobile accident on his way home from a conference.
Lenoir Patton Almand, who was also an accomplished musician and Stetson University faculty member, made gifts during her lifetime and an estate gift to endow the Almand Chair of Composition in Stetson's School of Music in Claude Almand's honor.
Some compositions are also in the Music Library of the University of Louisville.
References
Kleber, John E., ''Encyclopedia of Louisville'', p. 639
3. Bryan, James Kenneth: The Life and Works of Claude Marion Almand. Masters Thesis, Southern Baptist Seminary, 1973,
{{DEFAULTSORT:Almand, Claud
University of Louisville faculty
Stetson University faculty
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary faculty
1915 births
1957 deaths