In an interview recorded on January 18, 1979, Roger Nixon joins Charles Amirkhanian in the KPFA studio to introduce a selection of his music. Nixon was born in Tulare, California, in 1921, and studied composition at the University of California with Roger Sessions, Ernest Bloch, and Arthur Bliss. He later studied privately with Arnold Schoenberg, an experience that he has very fond memories of, many of which he relates during this interview. Starting in 1960, Mr. Nixon was on the music faculty of San Francisco State University, where his students included Kent Nagano. He later served as Professor Emeritus of Music at S. F. State until his death in October of 2009. Nixon is perhaps best known for his compositions for concert bands, a number of which are heard here. Also played in this program is his full length concerto for viola.
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