the spirit of triumph, james anderson depreist

194 Pages·2016·5.09 MB·English

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Dissertations
Spring 5-2012
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Darryl Eric Harris Sr.
University of Southern Mississippi
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Harris, Darryl Eric Sr., "The Spirit of Triumph, James Anderson DePreist: The Life, Career and Music of an
American Conductor" (2012). Dissertations. 549.
https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/549
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The University of Southern Mississippi

THE SPIRIT OF TRIUMPH, JAMES ANDERSON DEPREIST:

THE LIFE, CAREER AND MUSIC OF AN AMERICAN CONDUCTOR

by

Darryl Eric Harris, Sr.

Abstract of a Dissertation
Submitted to the Graduate School
of The University of Southern Mississippi
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Doctor of Musical Arts

May 2012
COPYRIGHT BY

DARRYL ERIC HARRIS, SR.

2012

ABSTRACT
THE SPIRIT OF TRIUMPH, JAMES ANDERSON DEPREIST: THE LIFE, CAREER

AND MUSIC OF AN AMERICAN CONDUCTOR

by Darryl Eric Harris, Sr

May 2012

The purpose of this research is to present an organized account of the life, career and
music of this prominent American symphonic conductor. James Anderson DePreist is an
African American conductor/composer, educator and spokesman for the Americans with
Disabilities who has achieved prominence in the symphonic field while overcoming
many obstacles, both physical and social. In addition to having have conducted
orchestras all over the world, this maternal nephew of famed contralto Marian Anderson
is best known as the arranger/composer of Theme For The Cosby Show, the 1988–1989
season, as recorded by the Oregon Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to a discography, this document also contains an exhaustive bibliography
of the important articles written about DePreist,. Additional information is presented on
his roles outside of music. In spite of the author having had limited access to Mr.
DePreist, his students and members of his orchestras, this author has provided a
chronological account of DePreist’s immense contributions to the development of music
as experienced by countless people throughout the world. Serving as a role model for the
disabled, James Anderson DePreist personifies “The Spirit of Triumph.”
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DEDICATION
First and foremost, this document is dedicated to the greatest single parent ever,
my mother, the late Ms. Willie B. “Girlie” Harris, who always shared my vision and
goals, and to my family. This is also dedicated to the late Father Louis J. Benoit, S.V.D.,
pastor of Sacred Heart Church, and to my band directors in Greenville, Mississippi, who
collectively opened up a new world to me: Mr. Winchester “Mr. Wynn” Davis at Sacred
Heart School, Mr. Roy P. Huddleston (Leroy N. Parker, assistant) at Coleman High and
Dr. Sidney J. McKay (Charles Strange, assistant) at Greenville Senior High School.
A very special acknowledgment and dedication goes to Margaret B. Robinson,
Dean Emerita of Undergraduate Studies at Case Western Reserve University in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Thanks also to The E. F. Boyd family (especially Tori), Senior Master Sergeant
Lance Cameron, USAF Retired, Hodding Carter III, Carol Jean Cooper (for the $25.00
that started me along this way), the late Kenneth Haxton of the Greenville Symphony
Orchestra, Dr. David R. Ledgerwood, Ph.D., Dr. Frederick R. Mayer, Ph.D. Lieutenant
Colonel Alan Sierichs, USAF Retired, Hallie Moore at The Cleveland Institute of Music,
Rev. Roger Smith and Rev. William Prince, Jr., owner of the Maxwell Shoe Shop on
Nelson Street in Greenville, for ‘sharing history the way you did’, and Maestro Carl
Topilow at The Cleveland Institute of Music.
Special thank you and dedication to my Godmother, Mrs. Johnnie L. Lewis and
family, especially my very best friend, Rev. Ruben H. Lewis, who believed in me always.
In loving memory of my Godfather, George E. Lewis, ‘Thank You Daddy.’

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express my profound gratitude to Dr. Jay Dean for his
encouragement and support as well as help in my studies at the University of Southern
Mississippi. This appreciation extends to the members of my committee, Dr. Joseph
Brumbeloe, Dr. Gregory Fuller, Dr. Christopher Goertzen and Dr. Steven Moser.
Special thanks to the many people who also contributed to this work: Scott
Daniels of the Oregon Historical Society, Jane Gottlieb and The Juilliard School Library
Staff; Chester Lane, editor of Symphony Magazine; Paul McCarver and the University of
Southern Mississippi Library Staff; James Rullo and Bridget Campbell of Skies America
Publishing Company; Nancy Shawcross and staff at the Annenberg Rare Book &
Manuscript Library at the University of Pennsylvania; and Stephen Toombs at Case
Western Reserve University’s Kulas Music Library. Also, thanks go to Debby Dean,
Claudia Encinas, Jorge Gonzalez, Dr. Byron G. Johnson, Dr. Dominique Rene’ de
Lerma, Andrew Rhodes and Jim Svejda of KUSC-FM Radio. Thank you to my two
French translators for all their assistance, Mme. Emeline Coulon and Mme. Leah Persons.
There are some other important personal contributors to this project: Maestra
JoAnn Faletta, who excited me about this subject years ago, Dr. London Branch of
Jackson State University, Dr. Jeffrey A. Johnson, M.D., Rebekah Stark Johnson, Dr.
Maryann Kyle, Dr. Michael Lopinto, William Slocum retired music director of the
Cleveland Philharmonic Orchestra, Jon Wenberg of the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra
and Dr. William B. Woods of the Cleveland School of the Arts.
A very special note of acknowledgment to Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... ii
DEDICATION……………………………………………………………………………iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS………………………….…………………………………….iv
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION .........................................................................................1
II. THE LIFE OF JAMES ANDERSON DEPREIST ........................................4

III. THE CONDUCTING CAREER OF JAMES ANDERSON
DEPREIST………………………….……………………………………..27

IV. THE MUSIC, CONDUCTING PHILOSOPHY & POETRY
OF JAMES ANDERSON DEPREIST………….………………………..66

V. CONCLUSION………………………………………………………….107

APPENDIXES………………………………………………………………………….113

BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………...122

DISCOGRAPHY……………………………………………………………………….156

SUPPLEMENTARY BIBLIOGRAPHY……………………………….……..……….172

REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………....179

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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure
1. James Anderson DePreist and Leonard Bernstein………………………..……...31
2. Mrs. Ethel Anderson DePreist………………………………....………….....…..35
3. James DePreist, Prince Charles and Princess Diana………………..……...….....43
4. James and Ginette Grenier DePreist………………………………….…...……..44
5. The Cosby TV Family………………………………………….……………...…73
6. U. S. Air Force C-141 “Starlifter” aircraft………………..…….…….….….….103
7. Vintage Ambulance, Circa 1960…………………………………………….….105
8. James Anderson DePreist and the Juilliard Orchestra………………………….107
9. Soprano, Leontyne Price and James DePreist…………………….……..…..….110
10. James DePreist and the Juilliard Orchestra……………………….…….……...112
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