Hubert Klyne Headley

Hubert Klyne Headley (1906–1996) was an American composer, musician, and educator.

Early life and education Headley was born at Parkersburg, West Virginia on June 19, 1906. When he was six, his family moved to Fresno, California. His father, Lewis Lee Headley, was Superintendent of Schools, and his mother, Belle Cook Headley, was an organist. At the age of ten he was introduced to Maurice Ravel, whose music had a strong effect on him. He studied music at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, graduating in 1928. While there, he met Flora Denius of Vallejo, also a student at the college's music conservatory, whom he married in 1929.

For eight years, Headley served as director of instrumental music for California high schools,

Career In the fall of 1935, Headley joined the music department of Fresno State College, replacing Assistant Professor Arthur C. Berdahl. Monteux later conducted part of the work in a radio concert for The Standard Symphony Hour. Headley's works would be performed regularly on this program for the next several years.

Also in 1939, Headley joined the faculty at Santa Barbara State College, and succeeded Maurice Faulkner as conductor of the University of California Symphony Orchestra in Santa Barbara. Here he began to hone his reputation as a composer and pianist, giving various concerts at which he conducted his own works.

In 1942, José Iturbi conducted the premiere of Headley's Argentango, a concerto for piano and orchestra, with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Later that year, Headley performed a "piano sketch" of what would eventually become his Symphony No. 2, Prelude to Man, based on the poem by Chard Powers Smith, about the stages of the development of life on earth prior to the advent of mankind. Headley subsequently gave performances in Paris, London, Budapest, and Prague.

In 1948, Headley was invited to serve as guest conductor of the Standard Symphony Hour, which had regularly performed his compositions. He continued to premiere new works into the 1950s. He was named conductor of the Fresno Municipal Symphony Orchestra, and was also a guest conductor of the Duluth Symphony Orchestra. they moved to Langley, British Columbia, where Headley taught music in area elementary schools, and was band instructor at Aldergrove High School, while Jean taught ballet at York House School in Vancouver. 1927 "The Fairies Have Never A Penny To Spend" 1927 "Lullaby" 1927 "A Mood" 1927 "Ballet Burlesque" 1928 "Sweetheart Why Don't You Answer Me?" (waltz ballad)