Over the course of a long career, the American produced works as individual as they were immaculately crafted,
says Elizabeth de Brito ILLUSTRATION: MATT HERRING
Composer of the month
George Walker boasts one of the longest compositional careers in history, writing well into his 90s. In his prolific career, he produced over 90 works, an enviable array of masterpieces including concertos for trombone and piano, five piano sonatas, five sinfonias, brass quintets, wind quintets, song cycles and more. He wrote most extensively, though, for stringed instruments, with a Violin Concerto and Cello Concerto, sonatas for cello, violin and viola and two string quartets to his name.
But as well as being an extraordinary composer and musician, he was a trailblazer for black people. Racism would offer numerous setbacks during his lifetime, derailing his career as a concert pianist and ensuring he would consistently struggle for his work to be recognised. But now that we are in his centenary year, as new recordings emerge and performances and studies increase, hopefully George Walker can enter the canon as one of the greatest American composers, his genius truly recognised.
Born and raised in Washington D.C., Walker grew up in a supportive, nurturing household full of music, his father a well respected local physician. Young George began piano lessons at the age of five, quickly displaying every sign of being a prodigy. At ten, he was enrolled at the local Howard University’s music prep school, from which he would graduate at just 14. He would also find early employment as a musician during church services. Turning down a scholarship to Howard University itself, he chose instead to study away from home at Oberlin Conservatory, Ohio. In doing so, he became not only the youngest, but also the only black student at the prestigious institution, the first of many such instances in which he would tread a path for others to follow.
It was with the initial intention of becoming a concert pianist – and on a full scholarship – that Walker entered Oberlin. During his time there, he was exposed to some of the great pianists of the age, including Rachmaninov, who he saw perform live in 1938 in ‘a memorable concert’ that left a great impression. Oberlin also offered him his first performance opportunities, and at his senior recital he played Tchaikovsky’s First Piano Concerto with the conservatory orchestra, receiving a standing ovation from the packed house. Studying composition with Normand Lockwood, he also wrote his first pieces, the Caprice for piano and Responses for voice and piano.
After graduating w
