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Arrand Parsons (1918-2001) Papers

 Collection
Identifier: 19/3/2

  • Staff Only
  • No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

The Arrand Parsons papers fill six and one-half boxes and span the period 1942-1988. They are arranged in two major categories: correspondence and teaching and professional files. Included as well are a few folders of biographical materials and one of publications.

Correspondence is divided into general and subject categories. The general correspondence, arranged chronologically, primarily concerns Parsons' teaching and speaking activities. Subject correspondence pertains mainly to Northwestern-related matters.

The teaching and professional files form the bulk of the series. These include some lecture notes and other materials related to courses Parsons taught, a few folders concerning a proposed program of graduate study at Northwestern for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and nearly four boxes of correspondence and teaching materials pertaining to the Contemporary Music Project. Established in 1963, the Contemporary Music Project was supported by the Ford Foundation and administered by the Music Educators National Conference. It represented a major enhancement of the Ford Foundation's Young Composers Project instituted in 1959. That program placed young composers in public schools to write for their performing groups. The Contemporary Music Project expanded these activities, supported additional seminars and workshops, and inaugurated pilot programs relating to music education at the elementary and secondary school levels. Parsons served as Midwest Regional Director of the Project's Institute for Music in Contemporary Education. Regional institutes were established in 1966 to emphasize creativity in musicianship and to broaden methods and goals of music education. Parsons also worked directly with the Contemporary Music Project in other roles and through participation in several of its committees.

Of interest in the teaching and professional files is a folder of materials on Northwestern School of Music master classes. The folder includes two letters to Parsons from Lotte Lehman.

Dates

  • 1942-1988

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Boxes 6-7 of this collection are stored off-site and require two business days advance notice for retrieval. This collection is stored off-site and requires two business days advance notice for retrieval. Please contact the McCormick Library at specialcollections@northwestern.edu or 847-491-3635 for more information or to schedule an appointment to view the collection. Teaching and professional files may contain sensitive materials; consultation with University Archivist required prior to use.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is stored at a remote campus location and requires two business days advance notice for retrieval. Please contact the McCormick Library at specialcollections@northwestern.edu or 847-491-3635 for more information or to schedule an appointment to view the collection.

Extent

7.00 Boxes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The Arrand Parsons papers fill six and one-half boxes and span the period 1942-1988. They are arranged in two major categories: correspondence and teaching and professional files. Included as well are a few folders of biographical materials and one of publications.

Arrangement Note

Teaching and professional files are topically arranged. Within folders, materials are in chronological order. The general correspondence files are arranged chronologically. Subject correspondence is arranged alphabetically by topical heading.

Method of Acquisition

Don Roberts of the Northwestern University Music Library transferred the Parsons papers to the University Archives on March 30, 1989 (Accession #89-49).

Separated Materials

Three audio tapes and one audio record have been removed to the University Archives' audio collection. Five linear inches of materials not pertinent to Parsons but relating to University activities have been added to the Archives' general reference collection. Approximately forty-five linear inches of extraneous and duplicate materials have been discarded.

Processing Information

William K. Beatty; January - February, 1990.

Title
Guide to the Arrand Parsons (1918-2001) Papers
Author
William K. Beatty
Date
01/01/1990
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Library Details

Part of the Northwestern University Archives Repository

Contact:
Deering Library, Level 3
1970 Campus Dr.
Evanston IL 60208-2300 US
847-491-3635