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Clarence E. Sawhill Papers

 Collection 0086-SCPA
Clarence E. Sawhill (1906-1982) was a conductor, music educator, and clinician. He was Director of Bands at the University of California at Los Angeles from 1952-1972. Prior to this, he was Director of Bands at the University of Southern California, Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Illinois, and a high school band director in Urbana, Illinois and Lawrence, Kansas. Sawhill was elected to the American Bandmasters Association in 1948. The Clarence E. Sawhill Papers consists of personal and professional papers including correspondence, publications, programs, memorabilia, clippings, and articles related to Sawhill's extensive teaching career.

Dates

  • 1933-1981
  • Majority of material found within 1947-1975

Use and Access to Collection

There are no restricted files in this collection.

Duplication and Copyright Information

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

Extent

6.00 Linear Feet

Additional Description

Scope and Content of Collection

The Clarence E. Sawhill Papers covers the period from 1933 to 1981; the bulk of the materials date from 1947 to 1975. The collection consists of both personal and professional papers including correspondence, publications, programs, memorabilia, clippings, and articles related to Sawhill's work as a music educator, band director, and clinician, primarily from his tenures at USC (1947-1952) and at UCLA (1952-1972). The collection includes some materials related to his work at the University of Illinois and in public schools in Kansas.

Biography

Clarence Edwin Sawhill was born November, 5 1906 on a farm near Holton, Kansas. Raised in a musical family, Sawhill took piano lessons from his aunts, and at the age of twelve, he started taking violin lessons with a local teacher. In high school, he took up baritone and trombone and played in the Holton Community Band. At Bethany College, Sawhill studied voice, played trombone and violin in the orchestra and baritone in the band, and helped form a student pep band to play at athletic events. After graduating in 1929, Sawhill began teaching instrumental music in Norton, Kansas.

In 1933, Sawhill became the Director of Bands and Orchestras at Liberty Memorial High School in Lawrence, Kansas. In 1937, Sawhill moved to Illinois where he became conductor of the Urbana, Illinois High School Band and Orchestra, as well as the Assistant Band Director at the University of Illinois, working under Director A. A. Harding. His duties at the university included assisting Harding with the marching band and concert band, and directing the Second Regimental Band. During his time in Illinois, Sawhill also joined the staff at Interlochen Summer Arts Camp in Michigan. He remained on the staff for ten years.

In 1947, Sawhill moved to California and became Director of Bands at the University of Southern California. A year later, he was elected to the American Bandmasters Association. He remained at USC until 1952, when he moved across town to serve as Directors of Bands the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1961, under his directorship, the UCLA Band was invited to perform for the American Independence Day Celebration at Ribald National Park, in Aalborg, Denmark. The European Tour lasted twenty-seven days and also included concerts in London, Paris, Vienna, Munich, and Copenhagen. Sawhill's final concert at UCLA was held on May 17, 1972. He remained active as a clinician until 1981. Clarence Sawhill died on February 26, 1982.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into six series.
  1. Series 1: Correspondence
  2. Series 2: Publications
  3. Series 3: Programs
  4. Series 4: Professional Papers
  5. Series 5: Photographs
  6. Series 6: Personal Materials

Custodial History and Acquisition Information

Gift of Kathleen Sawhill Port, Clarence Sawhill's daughter, received in three batches from July 1982 - September 1982.

Related Material

This collection is part of the American Bandmasters Association Research Center at the University of Maryland.

A copy of Symphony No.1 for Band in One Movement by Frank Erickson was originally included in these papers. It has been transferred to the ABA Score Collection, also housed in Special Collections in Performing Arts. Please contact the curator for assistance.

For other related archival and manuscript collections, please see the following subject guides.

Administrative Information

Title
Clarence E. Sawhill Papers
Status
Completed
Author
David Travis, October 2010.
Date
2010-08-01
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Library Details

Library Details

Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library

http://www.lib.umd.edu/mspal
Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
8270 Alumni Drive
College Park MD 20742 United States

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