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Fennell, Frederick (2^nd July 1914-7^th December 2004) He was an orchcestra conductor, percussionist and author born in Cleveland, Ohio. He became a drummer for the fife and drum corps in Camp Zeke when he was seven and owned his first drum set when he was ten. In his high school orchestra he was the band's drum major and a kettledrummer. He studied at the Interlochen Arts Centre and as the bass drummer in the band, which he would later conduct, he was led by John Philip Sousa in his premiere of Northern Pines. He took further studies at the Eastman School of Music and was the first student to gain a degree in percussion performance as well as organizing the University of Rochester marching band. He took lessons with Wilhelm Furtwangler under a fellowship at the Mozarteum Salzburg and with Serge Koussevitsky at Tanglewood, where among his classmates were Lukas Foss and Leonard Bernstein. After the outbreak of WWII he worked with the United Service Organizations as a National Music Advisor. In 1952 he established the Eastman Wind Ensemble and wrote to 400 composers requesting compositions that would be fitting for his new group. The first to reply was Percy Grainger, followed by Ralph Vaughn Williams and Vincent Perischetti. By 1953 he had established himself as one of the United States' most recorded conductors, appearing with groups such as the London Pops, the Eastman-Rochester Pops as well as many wind and free lance ensembles. His positions have been as associate music director for the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, conductor-in-residence of the Miami Philharmonic, principal guest conductor of the Dallas Wind Symphony and Conductor Laureate of the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. As an author he wrote several books which include Time and the Winds and A Drummer's Heritage. Having received many awards for his contribution to music he was inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2001. He died aged 90 in Siesta Key, Florida , in 2004. Dallas Wind Symphony recordings Isaac Albeniz Feast Day in Seville Reference Recordings RR-52CD (CD: Trittico) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Leroy Anderson Belle of the Ball Reference Rec. RR-62CD (CD: Beachcomber: Encores for Band) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra recordings Leroy Anderson Blue Tango Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Bugler's Holiday Mercury 434 376-2 (CD: Fennell Conducts the Music Of Leroy Anderson and Eric Coates) Conductor - Frederick Fennell First Day of Spring, The Mercury 475 6942 (CD: Fennell Conducts Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Forgotten Dreams Mercury 434 376-2 (CD: Fennell Conducts the Music Of Leroy Anderson and Eric Coates) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Irish Suite Mercury 434 376-2 (CD: Fennell Conducts the Music Of Leroy Anderson and Eric Coates) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Jazz Legato Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Pirate Dance Mercury 434 376-2 (CD: Fennell Conducts the Music Of Leroy Anderson and Eric Coates) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Plink, Plank, Plunk! Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Promenade Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Sandpaper Ballet Mercury 434 376-2 (CD: Fennell Conducts the Music Of Leroy Anderson and Eric Coates) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Saraband Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Serenata Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Mercury SACD 475 6942 (CD: Frederick Fennell Conducts the Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Sleigh Ride Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Song of Jupiter (George Frideric Handel/Leroy Anderson ) Mercury Living Presence 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Summer Skies Mercury SACD 475 6942 (CD: Frederick Fennell Conducts the Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell The Syncopated Clock Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell A Trumpeter's Holiday Mercury 434 376-2 (CD: Fennell Conducts the Music Of Leroy Anderson and Eric Coates) Conductor - Frederick Fennell The Typewriter Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Mercury SACD 475 6942 (CD: Frederick Fennell Conducts the Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell The Waltzing Cat Mercury 432 013-2 (CD: The Music of Leroy Anderson) Conductor - Frederick Fennell Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_Fennell http://www.dws.org/ffennell.htm 3.