Parsons, Arrand

Arrand Parsons was born on July 26, 1918, in Ellerbe, North Carolina. Parsons devoted his life to the study and teaching of music theory, joining the faculty of Northwestern University in 1946 and remaining until his retirement in 1984. He died on June 22, 2001.

Parsons was given the first name of Pleasants but dropped it early in life. Parsons obtained a B.S. degree in music education at Teachers College, Columbia University, in 1939, and an M.Ed. from Graduate Teachers College in 1944. From Northwestern University he earned an M.Mus. in theory and composition in 1946 and a Ph.D. in 1953. His doctoral dissertation was entitled, “Dissonance in the Fantasies and Sonatas of Henry Purcell.”

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