He is a composer born in New York, growing up in the Bronx, whose father was a violinist, his mother danced on Vaudeville and his grandmother was a pianist. His cousin was the actress Joan Swenson.
He studied chemistry at New York University and then became a navigator in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943. After the war he decided to pursue his interest in music and entered the Juilliard School where he studied composition.
He was hired there as a teacher in 1960 and in 1970 he was given the post of Chairman in the music department at the William Patterson College, where he would become a professor in 1973.
He wrote the book The Piece As a Whole and his compositions include two operas, orchestral, chamber, dramatic and vocal works.
Seattle Symphony Orchestra Recordings
Rameau Remembered: Suite for Flute and Orchestra
Artek 0004 (CD: Hugh Aitken: Aspen Concerto, Rameau Remembered, In Praise of Ockeghem)
Conductor-Gerard Schwarz
Flute – Scott Goff
Here is his Suite for Solo Bass….
Sources:
- CD Liner Notes – Hugh Aitken: Aspen Concerto, Rameau Remembered, In Praise of Ockeghem
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Aitken
- http://www.answers.com/topic/hugh-aitken-classical-musician
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/3906477-Hugh-Aitken?filter_anv=0&type=Releases
- http://www.allmusic.com/artist/hugh-aitken-mn0001447311/biography