Bruce Montgomery

Bruce Eglinton Montgomery (June 20, 1927 – June 21, 2008) was an American composer, author, musical theater performer and painter; and a conductor and director, particularly of the Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas.

"Monty", as he was known around the Philadelphia performing community, was perhaps best known for his long tenure as director of musical activities at the University of Pennsylvania, as Artistic Director for the Gilbert & Sullivan Players of Philadelphia for 32 years, and as the director of the Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Chester County.

Biography

Early years Montgomery was born and grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of James Montgomery, a professional operatic tenor of Scottish descent. His mother, Constance, was also musical. He had a brother, James, and two sisters, Elizabeth and Constance. He showed early enthusiasm for opera and appeared in the Philadelphia Orchestra Opera Company’s production of Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera Trial by Jury at the age of five. He also wrote songs as early as age five.

Career Montgomery began his career at the University of Pennsylvania in 1950 as an assistant director of the Cultural Olympics, a yearly event sponsored by the university that featured amateur performing artists. In 1951, he was drafted and sent to Korea to serve in the 45th Infantry Division of the United States Army during the Korean War. This experience inspired him to write Why Me? in 1967, a musical set in the Korean War, and Herodotus Fragments for symphony orchestra and two choruses, which the Philadelphia Orchestra first performed in 1970. For the Glee Club, Montgomery composed the "Academic Festive Anthem", using words by Benjamin Franklin. He also helped to create the Penn Singers as a light opera and musical theatre company in 1971 and continued to serve as their director until his death. In addition, he also served as director and/or music director of Mask and Wig, the University Band, and Penn Players. By 1980, he was head of 10 musical groups at the university, retiring from most of them in 2000. His only remaining official position at Penn as of 2008 was directing the Penn Singers' spring shows.

After his 1963 "Irish folk opera" Spindrift, was performed by the Penn Players, he wrote the music and lyrics for a 1964 off-Broadway show, The Amorous Flea with a book by Jerry Devine, based on Molière's L'École des femmes (The School for Wives) is still performed occasionally. In 1972, he wrote An Orpheus Triptych for the Orpheus Club of Philadelphia, a choral setting based on poems to Orpheus. From 2000 until 2008, he sold his original notecards, featuring his watercolor artwork, through his company, Monty, Inc.

In 2005, Montgomery received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Bethany College. He was named Man of the Year by the Friars Club of Philadelphia in 2006.

In 2010 Montgomery's family established the Bruce Montgomery Foundation for the Arts, a charity formed to provide scholarships and grants to fund projects in the performing arts consistent with Montgomery's artistic goals.