Roberts, Myron
Biography
Born: January 30, 1912
Died: May 15, 2004
Country: San Diego, California, U.S.A.
Studies: University of the Pacific (B.M. 1935), Union Theological Seminary (M.S.M.1937)
Teachers:
Website:
Obituary - Myron J. Roberts, 92, died Saturday, May 15, 2004, at Quarry Hill in Camden after a brief illness. He was born in San Diego, California, January 30, 1912, a son of William Abbott Roberts and Clara Louis Roberts. At age nine he moved with his family to Palo Alto, CA, where he attended local schools. Raised in a musical family, Mr. Roberts developed an early passion for piano and organ. His first music teacher was his Aunt Josephine (Thorpe), a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory. By the time he was in high school Mr. Roberts was studying piano and then organ with Stanford University organist, Warren Allen.
Mr. Roberts completed his undergraduate studies in 1935 at the College of the Pacific (now the University of the Pacific) in Stockton, CA, where he was an organ student of Allen Bacon. He then went to New York and completed a master's degree in the School of Sacred Music at Union Theological Seminary, where he studied with Clarence Dickinson.
After two years as an organist in the greater New York area and as an interim organist in Richmond, VA, Mr. Roberts joined the faculty of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where he taught organ and music theory for 34 years. He also held positions in Lincoln as organist at First-Plymouth Congregational Church, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Risen Christ.
Mr. Roberts was married to Virginia W. Roberts. The couple had no children. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts retired at the same time and moved to Rio del Mar on Monterey Bay in California. After Mrs. Roberts' death in 1975, Mr. Roberts continued to live in California and resumed playing the organ in public recitals. It was at this time that he met and became long-time friends with Anthony Antolini, who was teaching at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz County, CA. When Prof. Antolini and his family moved to Maine in 1991 Mr. Roberts decided to join them and moved to Cushing in 1993 where he built a home with a view of the St. George River.
Mr. Roberts was nationally known not only as a professor of organ but also as a composer of works for organ, choral music and pieces for organ and other instruments. Among his 22 published works are "Homage to Perotin" (1956), "Pastorale and Aviary" (1969) and "Fanfare and Tuckets" (1991) for organ. His best known choral compositions include "O Lord, We Beseech Thee" (1965), "Jubilate Deo" (1976) and "Magnificat" (1977). His most unusual composition is "Five for Organ and Marimba" (1975).
After moving to Maine Mr. Roberts continued to compose music and teach organ on a limited basis. He also volunteered at the Cushing Community School where he greatly enjoyed teaching third graders who called him "Mike" because he considered "Myron" or "Mr. Roberts" "too formal" a name. He also maintained a life-long interest in astronomy and gardening.
Mr. Roberts was a communicant of the Episcopal Church of St. John Baptist in Thomaston where he took an active part in the work of the Organ Search Committee. In 2003 that committee selected the Bedient Pipe Organ Company of Roca, Nebraska to build its new organ. The president and founder of the company, Gene Bedient, was a student of Mr. Roberts at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln many years ago. As recently as March 2004 Mr. Roberts attended performances of two of his choral works by Down East Singers at St. John's, which featured the newly installed Bedient Pipe organ for accompaniment.[1]
Works for Percussion
Five for Organ and Marimba - Marimba
References