Robert McBride

Biography

Robert Guyn McBride, University of Arizona Music Professor Emeritus, died July 1, 2007. He was born in Tucson, Arizona Territory, on February 20, 1911. Robert is survived by Carol, his wife of 66 years; their daughter, Marion of Irvington, NY; their son, Lawrence (Barbara) of Arlington, VA; and by grandchildren, Karin Sosis, Andrew Sosis, Lindsay McBride, and Graham McBride. Bob's musical talents matured at the UA, where he received a Master of Music degree in 1935. This "desert rat" then taught at Bennington College in Vermont, where he met and married Carol. In 1945 he moved to New York City to write music for films. As television supplanted short subjects at the movies, he returned in 1957 to Tucson and the UA to teach composition. Skilled as an instrumentalist (oboe, English horn, clarinet, and saxophone), Bob performed widely at colleges and with orchestras. His compositions were played by major orchestras and chamber groups, and were published and recorded. His music, often with catchy titles, ranged from serious to whimsical: opera, jazz pieces, modern dance scores, instrumental solos, chamber pieces, and orchestral works. He received a Guggenheim Foundation grant in 1937, and in 1942 the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded him a prize for "writing a new idiom and expression" in modern American music. Later, the UA honored him with a Medallion of Merit. Bob was a true gentleman whose great patience and wonderfully agreeable nature endeared him to his family, friends, and students. An achievement Bob especially enjoyed was scoring 11 holes-in-one at the local par three course, the last at age 92.

ACE Publications

127 title(s)
Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
Robert McBride 1776 OVERTURE pf-4 hands
Robert McBride BOOGIE alto sax, piano
Robert McBride BOP PIZZICATO hp,gtr,pf,str
Robert McBride BOP SOPHISTICATE Orch: 2222 2330 PERC HP, PF, STRINGS
Robert McBride BROKEN UKELELE boingaphone, str orch: vln A,B,C,D, vla,vcl,cb or saw or jews harp
Robert McBride CHIAPANECAS violin, cello, harp
Robert McBride CIELITO LINDO str qrt
Robert McBride CIELITO LINDO vln,vcl,hp
Robert McBride COMFORTABLE FLIGHT Eng hn, string quartet
Robert McBride COMMENTARY ten,2tpt,2tbn,synth,pf,cb,drm
Robert McBride CONCERTO FOR DOUBLES fl, ob, 2 asx, 2tsx, bsx, hn, 3tpt, 4tbn, gtr, hp, pf, tba, solo sax, perc, strings
Robert McBride COPYCAT MARCH symphonic band
Robert McBride COUNT OFF IN FIRST POSITION str orch
Robert McBride CUATRO MILPAS woodwind quintet
Robert McBride DANCE vcl,pf
Robert McBride DANCE SUITE pf
Robert McBride DEPRESSION vln,pf
Robert McBride EASY FIVE FOR FOUR HANDS pf-4 hands
Robert McBride EASTER HYMN VARIATION org
Robert McBride EVERGLIDE ob,pf
Robert McBride FANFARE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE woodwind quintet
Robert McBride FANTASY FROM THE 1ST 6 GRADES See FOLKSONG FANTASY(MCBRI10134) for brass trio OR (MCBRI11493) for orch
Robert McBride FINE THOUGHT vln,pf
Robert McBride FIVE WINDS BLOWING 1-1-1-1,hn
Robert McBride FLUTE PRELUDE org

Additional Works