Title: David Van Vactor Collection (addition to MS-1942)

Date/Date Range :   circa 1947, 1970-1995

Extent: 0.5 linear feet

Abstract:

This collection consists of a diverse assortment of materials including correspondence, newspaper clippings, catalogs of works, concert programs, reviews, and other materials relating to David Van Vactor. The bulk of the materials are from 1968-1977, a period of several years both before and after his resignation in December of 1972 as conductor of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.

Call number: MS-2710

Repository: University of Tennessee Special Collections Library, Knoxville, TN

Aquisition Information:

Collection was donated to Special Collections.

Access Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Copyright:

The copyright interests in this collection remain with the creator. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library.

Preferred Citation:

[Identification of Item], David Van Vactor Collection, MS-2710. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Special Collections Library.

Collection consists of six series:

1. Series I: Correspondence, 1969-1978
2. Series II: Newspaper Clippings and Press Releases, 1947, 1971-1995
3. Series III: Catalogs, 1969-1977
4. Series IV: Concert Programs, 1960-1999
5. Series V: Reviews, 1970-1996
6. Series VI: Miscellaneous, 1970-1994

David Van Vactor (1906-1994), who was born in Indiana, was well-known as a composer, conductor, and flutist during the last half of the twentieth century. He earned his BA from Northwestern University and then spent some time in Europe where he studied with such notables as Paul Dukas, Marcel Moyse, and Josef Niedermayr.

In 1947, he left a position as assistant conductor of the Kansas City Philharmonic to assume an appointment as the conductor of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, a position he held for 25 years. That same year, he founded the Department of Fine Arts, today known as the School of Music, at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He was also named "Composer Laureate" of Tennessee in 1977, one of many awards and accolades received during his career.

This collection consists of a diverse assortment of materials including correspondence, newspaper clippings, catalogs of works, concert programs, reviews, and other materials relating to David Van Vactor. The bulk of the materials are from 1968-1977, a period of several years both before and after his resignation as conductor of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra in December of 1972.

Series I: Correspondence primarily consists of a series of letters between Roger Rhodes, the publisher for Van Vactor's works, and Van Vactor as well as a set of correspondence between Rhodes and Burnett Tuthill, a lesser known Tennessee composer. Letters between Rhodes and Van Vactor are of both a business and a personal nature. Series II: Newspaper Clippings and Press Releases primarily contain articles related to Van Vactor's resignation from the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and his death; this series does not contain a comprehensive collection of articles about Van Vactor from any time period or in relation to any events. Series III: Catalogs consists of complete, published lists of Van Vactor's compositional output. Series IV: Concert Programs consists of a selection of programs for concerts at which musical works composed by Van Vactor were performed. Series V: Reviews, consists of published reviews of scores, recordings, and performances of musical works by Van Vactor. Lastly, Series VI: Miscellaneous contains a variety of materials including handwritten notes and some promotional materials. The last folder in this series contains some materials that are connected to third parties. For example, there is an extensive article about Van Vactor's close colleague, George F. DeVine.

Interested researchers should also consult UTK-MS-1942, Van Vactor Collection, 1922-1979.

• Van Vactor, David, 1906-1994.