Jared Spears
Biography
Jared Tozier Spears (b. 15 August 1936, Chicago, Ill.) is a composer, educator and percussionist.
Spears is Professor of Music Emeritus at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, and received the B.S.E. degree in Music Education from Northern Illinois University; the B.M. and M.M. in Percussion and Composition from the Cosmopolitan School of Music; and the D.M. in Composition from Northwestern University. Some of his past teachers include: Blyth Own, Alan Stout, and Anthony Donato.
Spears has taught theory, history, composition, percussion and band on all educational levels, from elementary school through college. Since his retirement from ASU in May of 1999 (after 32 years of teaching), he has maintained a heavy schedule of composing and conducting.
The most outstanding of his awards have been the Faricy Award for Creative Music from Northwestern University School of Music, Award of Merit from the Arkansas Chapter of the National Federation of Music Clubs, Outstanding Educators of America, International Who's Who in Music and Who's Who in the World of Percussion-U.S.A., Citations of Excellence from the National Band Association, Sigma Alpha Iota National Arts Associate, and several ASCAP awards. During his tenure at Arkansas Sate University, Spears received the University President's Award for the outstanding faculty member, as well as an appointment as a President's Fellow.
To date he has produced over 250 original works for band, choir, orchestra, and chamber ensembles-a majority of which are published by American and European companies. His music has been performed and recorded worldwide, and he has conducted band festivals, camps, and clinics in Canada, Europe, throughout the United States, and has appeared at several universities as a guest lecturer.
Works for Winds
- Adventurers
- Adventures (1979)
- Affirmation (1989)
- Africa!
- Allegro Fantastica
- Alleluias (1979)
- American Folk Hymn
- As the Eagle Soars
- At a Dixieland Jazz Funeral (1980)
- Axon (1986)
- Bold Journey (2004)
- Brass Ring
- Bravo! (2000)
- Briar Street Strut (2016)
- Cahokia (2006)
- Cantica
- Canticles (1982)
- Cantilena (1988)
- Cantique and Festival (1982)
- Castles of Llyr (1990)
- Chatham Overture
- Colorado Blue (2011)
- Colorama (1987)
- Colorama!
- Concerto for Percussion Section and Band (2012)
- The Country Express (1989)
- Crestview (1982)
- Cyber Quest (1996)
- Dance Celebrations
- Dawn Seeker
- Day of the Shofar (1981)
- Deo Gratias (1993)
- Diabolique (1984)
- The Dream Chasers (2004)
- The Drums of Blackhawk (2005)
- Dueling Drums (2007)
- Duke Street (1984)
- El Dorado
- English Portraits
- Fallen, Fallen is Babylon! (1977)
- Fantasia on Native American Music
- Fire Dancer (2006)
- For the Courageous
- Forest Park Overture (1979)
- Frenzy! (2015)
- From a Distant Star
- From A Schumann Album (1982)
- A Furious Fable (1980)
- A Gathering of Angels (1996)
- The Great, Awesome Go-Cart Race (2009)
- Gulf Island Sketches
- Heart of America Overture
- Heartland Sketches
- Heritage Hills (1985)
- Images Diabolique
- Incantation and Festal Dance
- Invincia
- Jazzers on the Loose (2013)
- Journey
- Joyous Alleluias (2000)
- Jubilation Overture (1999)
- Kickstarter March (2016)
- La Solana
- Legacy
- Lost Battalion
- March of the Martian Chickens (1985)
- March for Moderns (1965)
- Meditation and Festiva (1974)
- Mission Creek (1987)
- Momentations (1977)
- Monday's Song (2007)
- Moonmarch (2006)
- Mosaics (1975)
- Mountain Song (2006)
- Mountain View Portrait
- New Century Overture (1984)
- New River Suite (1987)
- Northstar Overture
- Novelette (1978)
- Of Honor, Joy, and Celebration (2004)
- Of Times Medieval (2005)
- Overland Trails
- Overture Fantastica
- Postcards from the Heartland (2010)
- Praeludium (1996)
- Praises! (2004)
- Prayer and Proclamation (1983)
- Pride of Lions (2010)
- Prologue, Dream, and Festa
- Prologue and Pageant (1972)
- Return to Bayport
- Return to Wind River (2006)
- Ritual and Capriccio (1981)
- The River Red (1996)
- Roaring River Overture (2005)
- Rondo Fantastica
- Run
- A Sacred Set (as arranger) (1983)
- Sansketch (1981)
- Scenario
- Silverwind
- Snow Child (2001)
- Sourwood Suite
- Spirit Canyon March (1998)
- Spiritual (1992)
- Spiritus!
- Spooky Hollow Saga
- Springfield Mountain (1984)
- Star Chaser (1995)
- Star Gazer
- Starmarch (1983)
- Stormy Point Overture (1989)
- Suite Romantique (as arranger) (1983)
- Sun Island (1988)
- Sunday Song (1985)
- Sunnygate March (2008)
- Symphonic Prelude
- Tales from Deep Space One
- Third Set for Band (1972)
- Thunder Mountain Overture (1982)
- Thunderstone
- Tilford Celebration (2005)
- A Time With Nicolas (2011)
- To the Spirit of Youth (2006)
- Treasure Valley (1988)
- Unleashed! (2014)
- Upon Wings of the Wind
- Wabash County Saga (1979)
- Waters of Myth
- Westwood Portrait (1980)
- Wild Country Overture
- A Wilderness Overture (1976)
- Wind Rider (2008)
- Wind River Portrait
- Winds from the Prairie
- The Winds of Change (2015)
- Windwood Overture (1985)
- Wings of the Morning
- World Tour
Resources
- Camphouse, Mark, editor. (2007). Composers on Composing for Band. Volume 3. Chicago: GIA Publications. pp. 215–258.
- White, Marc M. (2001) Percussion scoring and orchestration in the wind and percussion ensemble literature of Jared Spears and David Gillingham [Doctoral Dissertation].
- Jared Spears, Wikipedia