Frederick A. Fox

Frederick A. Fox (January 17, 1931 – August 24, 2011) was an American composer and former music educator specializing in contemporary classical music.

Early years Frederick Alfred Fox Jr. was born January 17, 1931, in Detroit, Michigan. His early musical training in his native Detroit encompassed the saxophone (with Laurence "Larry" Teal) and music theory and arranging (with Ray McConnell). He subsequently studied composition with Ruth Shaw Wylie and received the B.Mus. degree from Wayne State University in 1953. He worked for a year with Ross Lee Finney at the University of Michigan, but took a leave from his studies to tour as a jazz saxophonist (tenor and baritone), a career he gave up in 1956–57 to return to serious composing. Fox then went to Indiana University School of Music (now the Jacobs School of Music) in Bloomington, where he studied composition with Bernhard Heiden, and from which he was graduated with the Masters of Music (1957) and Doctor of Music (1959).

Composer, teacher After serving in various faculty and foundation posts in the United States, Fox returned to the Indiana University School of Music in 1974 as professor of composition. One of his first undertakings was the founding of the Indiana University New Music Ensemble in 1975–76, with himself as its first director. During his leadership tenure, the New Music Ensemble began to take its place as one of the foremost university ensembles of its kind in the country; it has since toured to cities such as Chicago, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, New York City, among others.

Selected works Orchestra Impressions (1995) Echo Blues (1992) In the Elsewhere (1988) Now and Then (1988) [Chamber Orchestra] Januaries (1984) Night Ceremonies (1979)

String orchestra Nightscenes (1988); string orchestra, harp, piano/celeste, percussion (5)

Symphonic band Four Times Round (1996) Polarities (1987)

Ensemble/chamber Blind Time (1996) – orchestra brass, percussion (2) Dreamcatcher (1994) – flute, oboe, clarinet, horn, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, double bass, piano, percussion (2) Time Weaving (1993) – clarinet trio (Eb, Bb, Bass Cl) Devil's Tramping Ground (1991) – flute, oboe, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion (1) The Avenging Spirit (1989) – saxophone quartet Auras (1988) – flute, clarinet, cello, piano, percussion (1) Time Messages (1988) – brass quintet Shaking the Pumpkin (1986) – saxophone, piano, percussion (2) 3 Diversions (1987) – saxophone quartet Vis-A-Vis (1985) – horn and string quartet Dawnen Grey (1984) – string quartet Sonaspheres 5 (1983) – flute/alto flute, fl/picc, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion (2) Bren (1982) – brass ensemble Sonaspheres 1 (1980) – flute/alto, flute/picc, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion (2) S.A.X. (1979) – solo alto saxophone, saxophone quartet; Ambient Shadows (1978) – flute/alto, clarinet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, piano, percussion (1)

Choral/voice Time Excursions (1976) – soprano, speaker, flute, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, percussion (2) The Descent (1969) – SATB, piano, percussion (2)

Solo When the Thunder Speaks (1998) – alto saxophone and piano; Five Mementos for Trumpet & Piano (1995) – trumpet and piano; Kokopelli (1994) – flute and piano; Fantasy (1993) – viola and piano; Echos and Shadows (1993) – violin and piano; Hear Again in Memory (1991) – saxophone; Annexus (1980) – alto saxophone and piano

Selected discography The Music of Frederick Fox, Indiana University School of Music, 1992. The Music of Frederick Fox, Volume 2, Indiana University School of Music, 2000. New Music from Indiana University – Volume 2, Indiana University School of Music, 1998. Thomas Walsh. Shaking the Pumpkin. RIAX, Inc., 1998. Zagreb Saxophone Quartet with Eugene Rousseau. Tsunagari, Zagrebačka banka, 2002. Trio Indiana, Crystal Records, Inc., 1996. Michael Jacobson, saxophone. Mixed Company, Equilibrium, 2000.