Frank William Erickson

Frank William Erickson (September 1, 1923 – October 21, 1996) was an American composer, conductor, arranger, writer, and trumpet player.

Growing up
The son of Frank O.. Myrtle Erickson, Frank Erickson was born and raised in Spokane, Washington. He began his instrumental career at the age of eight, playing piano, and at age ten, playing trumpet. In high school, he wrote his first composition for the band, The Fall of Evening. World War II began when Erickson was 16. He served with the United States Army Air Forces from 1942 to 1946, working as a weather forecaster and arranging music for several army bands.
 * World War II

After the war, Erickson worked as a jazz arranger, namely for Earle Spencer and His Orchestra (1946); and he played trumpet. He also studied composition with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco during this time period.
 * Post World War II

As he wrote the music and studied composition, Frank Erickson developed an interest in getting a degree and eventually enrolled at University of Southern California to further his studies in composition. While there, he began arranging half-time shows for the USC marching band. By the time he graduated, he had many published band compositions. His very first was called Little Suite for Band. He graduated from USC with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1950. The next year he went back to USC and graduated again with a Master of Music degree in 1951. His master thesis was about his own music.

In 1953, Erickson married Mary Theresa McGrorty. They had three sons: William Erickson, Richard Erickson, Christian Erickson. Mary Theresa McGrorty died in 1975 at the age of 53 years. On August 15, 1981, he married Mary Ann Smith.
 * Family

Erickson lectured at University of California, Los Angeles, in 1958. He then became a professor of music at San Jose State University. The 1950s were prolific years for Erickson. His publications of works such as Balladair, Air for Band, Fantasy for Band, and Toccata for Band were quickly popular and led to wide notability in the concert band world. He is also widely known for his book Arranging for the Concert Band, namely by college music majors.
 * Career in higher education

At the time many pieces for the band were extremely difficult or not great pieces. Erickson loved his students so much he wrote a collection of pieces including Air for Band to expand the band repertoire.
 * Motivation

For a number of years, Erickson worked in a publishing company, but years later he became an entrepreneur. He began his own publishing business called Frank Erickson Publications in 1995.
 * Publishing career

Erickson was a longtime member of the National Band Association, was elected to the Academy of Wind and Percussion Arts in 1986, was a member of American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, was a member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Pi Kappa Lambda, the Phi Beta Mu, and the American Bandmasters Association.
 * Affiliations

In 2000, Erickson's widow, Mary Ann Smith, donated all of his compositions to Old Dominion University, which included over 400 works, 200 of which are originals.
 * Erickson Collection at Old Dominion University
 * Frank Erickson Collection, Old Dominion University

Selected works

 * Original compositions
 * Balladair (1958);
 * Blue Ridge Overture (1976)
 * Air for Band (1956);
 * Fantasy for Band (1955);
 * Toccata for Band (1957);
 * The Fall of Evening (1940)
 * Little Suite for Band (1951);
 * Allegro Animato (1991);
 * English Folk-Song Fantasy
 * Fanfare for a Festival
 * Lyric Suite
 * Lyric Episode (1991)
 * Aria Cantabile (1990);
 * Overture Jubiloso (1978);
 * Irish Folk Song Suite (1952);
 * Arietta And Rondo (1961);


 * Arrangements
 * Barcarolle, by Jacques Offenbach (1964);
 * Children's March, by Percy Grainger (1971); ,
 * Suite of Early Marches, Arr. by Frank William Erickson (1972);

Selected audio

 * "Air," North Texas Wind Symphony
 * "Toccata"
 * "Pillars of the Earth"
 * "Overture Jubiloso," Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra
 * "Black Canyon of the Gunnison" (1954) De Pauw University Band