Background
Kay, Ulysses Simpson was born on January 7, 1917 in Tucson. Son of Ulysses Simpson and Elizabeth (Davis) Kay.
Kay, Ulysses Simpson was born on January 7, 1917 in Tucson. Son of Ulysses Simpson and Elizabeth (Davis) Kay.
Bachelor of Music, University Arizona, 1938. Master of Music, Eastman School Music, 1940. Postgraduate, Yale University, 1942.
Postgraduate, Columbia University, 1949. Museum D., Lincoln College, 1963. Museum D., Bucknell University, 1966.
Museum D., University Arizona, 1969. Museum D., Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1978. Doctor of Hebrew Literature, Illinois Wesleyan University, 1969.
Doctor of Hebrew Literature, U.Mo.-Kansas City, 1981.
His music is mostly neoclassical in style. He went for graduate work to the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and there worked under Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers. Ulysses Kay met the eminent neoclassical composer Paul Hindemith in the summer of 1941 at the Berkshire Music Center and followed Hindemith to Yale for a formative year of study from 1941 to 1942.
Kay worked for Broadcast Music, Incorporated., a performing arts organization, from 1953 to 1968.
In 1968 he was appointed distinguished professor at Lehman College of the City University of New New York After two decades teaching there, he retired.
As a composer Kay was known primarily for his symphonic and choral compositions. He also wrote five operas.
His final opera, Frederick Douglass, was mounted in April 1991 at the New Jersey State Opera with Kevin Maynor in the title role and Klara Barlow as Helen Pitts Douglass.
A resident of Teaneck, New Jersey, Kay died due to complications of Parkinson"s disease at the age of 78 at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center on May 20, 1995.
(Orchestral score by important African-American composer.)
Served with United States Naval Reserve, 1942-1946. Member Corporation of Yaddo, American Federation Musicians, League of Composers, National Institute Arts and Letters, Phi Mu Alpha-Sinfonia. Clubs: Federal City (Washington).
Son of Ulysses Simpson and Elizabeth (Davis) K. M. Barbara Harrison, August 20, 1949. Children: Virginia, Melinda, Hillary.