Bergsma, William, 1921-1994

Composed 1942. First performance at the Thirteenth Annual Festival of American Music of the Eastman School of Music, by the Eastman School Little Symphony Orchestra, Rochester, N. Y., Apr. 14, 1943, the composer conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Professor of music, University of Washington. William Bergsma served as director, School of Music, University of Washington, 1964-1971. He resigned in 1971

Commissioned by the Great Falls Symphony Association with the assistance of the Montana Bicentennial Administration.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1941. First performance (in ballet form) by the Rochester Civic Orchestra, Rochester, N. Y., May 1, 1942, Dr. Howard Hanson conducting. The story of the ballet is freely expanded from three characters and the locale of Bret Harte's "The Right Eye of the Commander."--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Comp. 1937. First performance (of excerpts) by the Burlingame High School Orchestra, Dec. 1938, Elmer Young conducting. First performance (of ballet under the title "Pioneer Saga") by the Rochester Civic Orchestra, Rochester, N.Y., Apr. 28, 1939, Dr. Howard Hanson conducting. First performance (of suite) by the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco, June 22, 1939, Pierre Monteux conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed in reaction against Walter Raleigh's statement that the artist "does not guide the ship... nor discover the Fortunate Islands." Commissioned by Carl Fischer, Inc. in honor of the 25th anniversary of the League of Composers. Composed 1947. First performance 1948, CBS Symphony Orchestra, Sylvan Levin conductor. This version withdrawn; revised version 1956.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1940. First performance by the Eastman-Rochester Symphony Orchestra, Rochester, N.Y., April 23, 1941, Howard Hanson conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1939. First performance at a symposium by the Rochester Civic Orchestra, Rochester, N.Y., April 22, 1942, Howard Hanson conducting.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.

Composed 1949.--Cf. Fleisher Collection.