Kenneth Slater papers
Collection
0040-SCPA
A conductor and cornetist, Kenneth Slater (1917-2005) was involved with numerous bands throughout his career. He performed with the "The President's Own" United States Marine Band and the United States Army Field Band, where he was the cornet soloist for nearly a decade. Later he became the director of the Almas Temple Band (Washington, DC) and Hagerstown Municipal Band (Maryland). In addition, Slater was also a charter member of the Shrine Bandmasters, a Past President of the Pennsylvania Bandmasters Association, and an active member of the American Bandmasters Association. The collection consists of correspondence, administrative records, programs and tour itineraries, military documents, books, newsletters, articles, newspaper clippings, scores: published and manuscript, photographs, regalia, and other memorabilia related to Slater's career; the ensembles with which he was involved; and the colleagues with whom he had close relationships including Merle Evans, Joseph Losh, Leonard Smith, and his father, George H. Slater.
The collection is open for research use.
Materials from this collection must be used in the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library's Irving and Margery Morgan Lowens Special Collections Room, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Contact the curator for an appointment: http://www.lib.umd.edu/scpa/contact
17.00 Linear Feet
The Kenneth Slater papers cover the period from 1859 to 1997; the bulk of the materials date from 1940 to 1980. The papers consist of correspondence, administrative records, programs and tour itineraries, military documents, books, newsletters, articles, newspaper clippings, scores: published and manuscript, photographs, regalia, and other memorabilia related to Slater's career; the ensembles with which he was involved including the United States Marine Band, the United States Army Field Band, the Hagerstown Municipal Band, and the Almas Temple Band; and the colleagues with whom he had close relationships including Merle Evans, Joseph Losh, Leonard Smith, and his father, George H. Slater.
Prior to its arrival at the American Bandmasters Association Research Center in 1997, the Kenneth Slater Collection was arranged around the individuals, ensembles, and professional organizations with which he was involved. That organization has been retained wherever possible. As a result, the collection is divided into ten series.
The distinguished band director Kenneth B. Slater was born in 1917 in Cohoes, New York. His earliest musical instruction came on the cornet under his father, George H. Slater. Upon graduation from the New York Military Academy Band in 1937, Slater accepted a position as a trumpet player in the "The President's Own" United States Marine Band. Ten years later he was appointed cornet soloist with the United States Army Field Band, a position he would hold for another decade. Shortly before his retirement from the military, Slater became director of the Almas Temple Shrine Band in Washington, D.C. In 1959 he was appointed director of the Hagerstown Municipal Band in Maryland, a position he would hold for a decade. Slater also served briefly as director of the Shippensberg, Pennsylvania City Band. Slater is a member of the Almas Temple, Washington, D.C., a charter member of the Shrine Bandmasters, a Past President of the Pennsylvania Bandmasters Association, and a member of the American Bandmasters Association.
This collection is organized into fourteen series.
Gift of Kenneth Slater, 2 October 1997 (98-34-ABA) and Gifts of Mrs. Slater in November 2008 (09-50-ABA) and January 2009 (09-92-ABA).
Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library