Wayne Barlow (1912-1996), professor emeritus of composition, entered the Eastman School in 1930 and received his graduate and undergraduate degrees. In 1937, he was awarded a Ph.D. in music (composition) here, becoming the first person in the United States to receive such a degree. He also spent time at the University of Southern California, where he studied composition with Arnold Schoenberg. Before completing his doctorate, Howard Hanson asked him to join the faculty. In his mature years Dr. Barlow developed an interest in electronic music, and in 1968 he established the Eastman School of Music’s electronic music studio, which he directed until his retirement in 1978. He was chair of the composition department from 1968 until 1973, and dean of graduate studies from 1973 until his retirement in 1978. His compositions include sacred music, works for chorus and symphony orchestra, and pieces for chorus and pre-recorded tape. Throughout his career as a composer, Dr. Barlow received numerous awards and honors, including several ASCAP Awards. His works were commissioned by the Indianapolis Symphony, the Catholic Diocese of Rochester, the Penfield School District, and the Brevard School of Music. He was in demand as a guest lecturer and visiting artist and professor, specializing in topics such as electronic music, 20th-century composition, musical acoustics, and the American composer Charles Ives. In 1955-56, Dr. Barlow was the Senior Fulbright Lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, the Royal Danish Conservatory of Music, and Aarhus University in Denmark. In 1964-65, he received a post-doctoral grant to research work in the electronic music field in Belgium and Holland, at the Universities of Brussels, Ghent, and Utrecht. In Rochester, Dr. Barlow also served as music director at Christ Episcopal Church and choirmaster at St. Thomas Episcopal Church.
Eastman School of Music
