Donato, Anthony

Anthony Donato was born in Prague, Nebraska, on March 8, 1909. He obtained his B. Mus. (1931), M. Mus. (1937), and PhD (1947) degrees from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

From 1931 to 1937 Donato was head of the violin department and conducted the orchestra at Drake University. He also headed the violin departments at Iowa State Teachers College, 1937-1939, and at the University of Texas, 1939-1946, where he also taught composition. Donato came to Northwestern in 1947 as associate professor of music. In 1950 he was promoted to professor of theory and composition.

He became an emeritus professor in 1976. From 1947 to 1958 and in 1961 Donato also directed the University Chamber Orchestra. Donato was a Fulbright Fellow, lecturing on contemporary American musical composition at Birmingham University in England during 1951-1952. He was also a Huntington Hartford Foundation Fellow during the summer of 1961, furthering his research in musical composition.

Donato's musical performances include being a member of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, 1927-1931, and the Hochstein Quartet, 1929-1931. He also conducted and performed in his own quartet which played live on many radio stations during 1929-1937. Donato made many appearances as a soloist and as a member of various chamber music organizations performing across the United States. He composed works for orchestra, band, chorus, opera, various chamber combinations, piano, organ, solo voice, and various instruments with piano.

Donato and Carolyn Scott, his accompanist, were married on December 30, 1931. They had no children. On October 29, 1990, Donato died at a nursing facility near his home in Bradenton, Florida.

From the guide to the Anthony Donato (1909-1990) Papers, 1917-1992, (Northwestern University Archives)