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Paul Traver papers

 Collection 0172-SCPA

This collection includes administrative and personal records of Paul Traver (March 27, 1931 - March 27, 2011). Traver served on the faculty of the University of Maryland, Department of Music from 1957 to 1999. During his tenure, he founded the University of Maryland Chorus in 1967, co-founded the Maryland Handel Festival with Howard Serwer in 1981, and co-founded the American Handel Society with Serwer and J. Merrill Knapp in 1986. The bulk of the records pertain to Traver’s position as a faculty member of the University of Maryland. This collection includes correspondence, logistical and financial records, photographs, and audiovisual materials pertaining to the Maryland Handel Festival, University of Maryland Chorus, University of Maryland Administration, other choral ensembles at the University of Maryland, other ensembles that Traver conducted, and Traver’s personal life.

Dates

  • Creation: 1743-2007
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1979-1992

Use and Access to Collection

The collection is open for research use.

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. Please make an appointment with the curator: Tel: 301.405.9220, Email: scpa@umd.edu

Extent

28.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Content of Collection

The Paul Traver papers covers the period from 1743 to 2007. This collection consists of professional and personal correspondence, documents, scholarly articles, publicity materials, programs, memorabilia, sheet music and facsimiles, and audiovisual materials. Items which are not of a personal nature pertain to the Maryland Handel Festival, the University of Maryland Chorus, the University of Maryland administration, other musical ensembles at the University of Maryland, and Paul Traver’s professional engagements outside the University of Maryland.

Biography

Paul Traver graduated from Catholic University of America and received his doctorate in conducting from Stanford University. He served on the faculty of the University of Maryland, Department of Music from 1957 to 1999. During his tenure, he founded the University of Maryland Chorus in 1967, co-founded the Maryland Handel Festival with Howard Serwer in 1981, and co-founded the American Handel Society with Serwer and J. Merrill Knapp in 1986. In 1985, Traver was the first recipient of the Distinguished Scholar-Teacher Award, as well as the first person awarded the Chancellor's Medal. He served as Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland from 2000 to 2002. Paul Traver died March 27, 2011.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into seven series.

  1. Maryland Handel Festival
  2. University of Maryland Chorus
  3. University of Maryland Administrative Files
  4. Other University of Maryland Musical Ensembles
  5. Subject Files
  6. Personal Records
  7. Audio/Visual Materials

Custodial History and Acquisition Information

The materials in this collection were given to Special Collections in Performing Arts by Mary Kay Traver in January 2013.

Related Material

American Handel Society records, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

Jacob Coopersmith collection on Handeliana, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

John Merrill Knapp papers, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

Howard Serwer papers, Special Collections in Performing Arts, University of Maryland Libraries. (finding aid)

Title
Paul Traver papers
Status
Completed
Author
Keila Rone
Date
June 2013
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Library Details

Part of the Michelle Smith Performing Arts Library

Contact:
University of Maryland Libraries
8270 Alumni Drive
College Park MD 20742 United States