William Grant Still Biography

This article will provide insight as to who William Grant Still was and what he did to illuminate his brilliance, and why he deserves to have his name forever etched in music’s history. Very few composers back in Still’s prime have been able to concoct memorable musical works of art. Although many have tried, few etched their name in music’s timeline. Listening to one of his pieces titled “Suite for Violin and Piano, Mvt. III” it becomes audibly evident of how jazz came to be what it is now. Still cut a path to new heights when it came to jazz. He set new bars for the blues and jazz genre. He went down in history as a memorable, musical milestone for the musical arts and an inspiration to a plethora of African American musicians to come.

He was an African American classical composer who wrote more than 150 musical pieces. Respectfully he is often referred to as "the Dean" of African American composers. He was the first African American to conduct a major American symphonic orchestra. He was the first to have his very own symphony (his first symphony) performed by a leading orchestra. He was the first to have an opera performed by a major opera company, and the first to have an opera performed on national television, which was quite a milestone for music as far as opera is concerned at the time. In an article written by Gayle Murchison and Catherine Parsons Smith pertaining to Still, they stated the

(1871–1895). His father William Grant Still Sr. died when Still was only three months old. Still's mother eventually moved with him to Little Rock, Arkansas, where she taught high school English for 33 years. She later met and married Charles B. Shepperson, who solidified his stepson’s musical interests by taking him to operettas and buying records of classical music, which Still harbored a great fondness for. He and his father attended a number of performances by musicians on tour as well. Still grew up in Little Rock, and at the age of 15 he attended violin lessons. He taught himself how to play the saxophone, oboe, double bass, cello and viola, and displayed great interest in music. And at the age of 16, he had graduated from M. W. Gibbs High School in Little