John Elwood Price (21 June 1935 – 9 May 1995) was an African-American composer, pianist, ethnomusicologist, and music teacher. He composed approximately 600 musical works in a wide variety of genres. His works are widely performed in the United States by professional groups.
Elwood began to study piano when he was five years old. He was a musical prodigy. In sixth grade he wrote a piece for piano that he performed at the graduation ceremony. In high school, he learned (and composed for) orchestral instruments. He earned a Bachelor of Music degree in piano and composition from Lincoln University in 1957. There he studied composition with David Baker. In 1963, he earned a Master of Music at the University of Tulsa, where he studied with Oscar Anderson Fuller and Bela Rozsa. He later studied music at Washington University in St. Louis, working with Robert Wykes and Harold Blumenfeld. From 1957 to 1959 Elwood was the staff pianist at the Karamu House, a historic Black theater in the Fairfax neighborhood on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. He composed incidental music for theater and worked as a vocal coach. He taught at Florida Memorial College, where he was Chairman of Music and Fine Arts and composer-in-residence. He then taught at Eastern Illinois University, and finally at Tuskegee University, where he began his employment as the Portia Washington Pittman Fellow and artist-in-residence.
1950 Rhapsody Symphonique for piano and orchestra1950 Serenade for Tulsa, for piano and orchestra1951 For L'Overture, for piano and orchestra1952 Dance for English horn and orchestra1952 rev. 1955 Scherzo I, for solo clarinet and orchestra1955 - 1975 Two Pieces for string quartet and brass1. The Solent 2. Inertia
1956 Nocturne for a Winter Night, horn, harp and strings1956 - 1,957 Episodes for piano and chamber orchestra1957 Scherzo II, for Clarinet and Orchestra (Revision of Rhapsody Symphonique)1959 - 1974 Concerto for cello and orchestra1. Recitative 2. Spiritual 3. Variations
1963 rev. 1989 ... And so Faustus Gained the World and Lost his Soul (Whatever Happened to Humanity?), For chamber orchestra; revised version for orchestra1968 Scherzo IV, for clarinet and orchestra1968 - 1975 Harambee (Let's all pull together), for orchestra1969 Concerto for piano and orchestra1969 Editorial I, for orchestra1969 Scherzo III, for clarinet and orchestra1972-1973 Overture, for orchestra1973 Scherzo for Cello and Orchestra1974-1975 Two Pieces for trumpet and string orchestra1. Spiritual 3. Jumpin 'Dance
1976-1978 Tutankhamen: Trumpets, trumpet, trumpet (tape), string orchestra and percussion1979-1980 From Remembering the vainglorious Luminescene revealed on That Day ... at Olduvai, for orchestra1980-1981 O Sun of real Peace, for chamber orchestra1980-1981 Three Orchestra Pieces, for orchestra1. Arawak 2. Citadel 3. Makandal
1983 Abeng, for horn and string orchestra1987 No Ideology in the World (or out of it) is worth the death of a Worm, for chamber orchestra1988 - 1989 Adams-Campbell: "Whosoever Will", for orchestra1988 - 1989 Concert for tuba and orchestraWorks for band
1951 March No. 1 in C minor., For piano and wind band (dedicated to: Booker T. Washington)1953 March No. 2 for piano and wind band1954 March1969-1971 Four Marches1981 Booker T. Washington Speech: 1897 Boston, Massachusetts, for mixed choir and band1982 54th Regiment, for choir and band1982 We Wear the Mask, for choir, organ and concertMasses and other church music
1957 Ps 2000, for baritone solo, mixed choir, woodwinds and brass, and percussion - text: the composer1970, rev. 1975 - 1976, rev. 1977 Barely time to study Jesus, for seven readers, soloists and mixed choir, orchestra and percussion - text: Robert Chute poem about Nat Turner1972 - 1973 Lest thou bless me, for speaker, mixed choir, concert band and organ - text: Robert Chute 3rd poem by black history1974 rev. 1978 Magnificat, for alto, baritone, mixed choir, organ, woodwinds and brass - text: William Edward Burghardt Du Bois1957 College Sonata1972 - 1974 The Other Foot, Ray Bradbury1955 Foresight of time and the University, monologue (a science fiction scene of the creation of the world) with clarinet, trumpet and percussion - text: the composer1962 Entr'acte for "The chairs", horn, bassoon and piano - text: Eugène Ionesco1965 The Tempest - text: William Shakespeare1969 The Feast of Unity, for soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, mixed choir, flute, oboe, alto saxophone, two trumpets, two trombones, tuba, piano / harp, percussion, string octet, actors and dancers - text: Sam White, Sharon Lockhard and others1953 Greenwood Rhythm, for dancers, mixed (or unison) choir, wind ensemble (clarinets, saxophones, horns, trumpets) and percussion - text: the composer1962 -1963 The Damnation of Doctor Faustus, for tenor, mixed choir and chamber orchestra - text: Christopher Marlowe1973 St. Peter relates an incident, for readers, soprano, tenor bass solo, mixed choir, (small) band and organ - Text: James Weldon Johnson1976 -1978 Song of the Liberty Bell, for three speakers, baritone solo, mixed choir and orchestra - text: Lewis Allan1985 - 1986 Harriet Tubman: Booker T. Washington speech Auburn, New York ... 1913, for mixed choir and orchestraConfession, for speaker, soloists, mixed choir and orchestra - text: Nat Turner "Confession"1954 rev. 1958 Suggestion for the Century, men's quartet and orchestra (dedicated to Russell Jelliffe and John F. Kennedy)1969 Song on a Poem of William Blake, for high voice and piano1983 - 1984 Mandolin, for mezzo-soprano / baritone and small orchestra - Text: Rita Dove1954 Meditation and Change of Thought, trumpet, horn, trombone and tuba1954 Fanfare and March, for trumpet and organ1956 Hymn and Deviation (Brass Quartet), for brass quartet (trumpet, horn, trombone and tuba)1956 Sonata for tuba and piano1957 Blues and Dance I, for clarinet and piano1959 Duet for horn and trombone1962 Quartet for violin, viola, horn and bassoon1967 Lament for dancers, clarinet, trumpet, trombone and percussion1968 Sonata for trombone and piano1968 Trio for clarinet, horn and tuba1974 Fanfayre, five trumpets1974 - 1975 Sonata II, for tuba and piano1. Recitation 2. Rag 3. Spiritual
1988 On the Third Day ... Osiris Rose, for double bass and piano1988 Where are you Robert Johnson?, For instrumental ensemble1992 Isis and Osiris, for bass, keyboard, drums and dancersFor three instruments, clarinet, tuba and piano
1977 5 FolksongsASCAP AwardFord Foundation Study GrantPhelps-Stokes Research and Scholar Exchange GrantIllinois Arts Council Completion Grant