Guide to the Brian Priestman Collection

Personal Papers of Brian Priestman

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Brian Priestman Collection, University Archives, PP 446, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas Libraries

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

None

Restrictions on Use

Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.

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Related Material

Consult library staff regarding the availability of related photographs, biographical files, and scrapbooks.

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INDEX TERMS

Organizations:

Subjects:

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BIOGRAPHY of Brian Priestman

Brian Priestman was born in 1927 in Birmingham, England. He served in the British military in the late 1940s, and earned a bachelor's and masters' degree in music from the University of Birmingham, as well as an advanced degree from the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles in Belgium.

He returned to England and, from 1952-1954, worked at the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra as an apprentice conductor. He went on to work for the Philomusica of London and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

In 1964, he came to North America, first to lead the Edmonton Symphony in Canada, then, beginning in 1970, to lead the Denver Symphony Orchestra. Priestman left Denver in 1978. After leaving Denver, he led the Florida Philharmonic for two years. He has also served as principal conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, as well as guest conductor with orchestras in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. He has conducted more than 300 performances on the BBC, as well as two national tours with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He served as Professor and Head of the Department of Music at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Priestman joined the University of Kansas (KU) music faculty as artist in residence and orchestra conductor in the fall of 1992. He made his debut performance as conductor of the KU Symphony Orchestra on October 2, 1992. Priestman's final performance as conductor of the KU Symphony Orchestra was on May 4, 2002.

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SCOPE and CONTENTS

The Brian Priestman papers consist almost entirely of sheet music. Represented are Johann Ludwig Bach's "Drum Welt Ade," Mozart's Symphony No. 3, a suite by Jean-Joseph Mouret, a Bach Cantata, and three dances from Amadis by Johann Christian Bach.

Priestman's November 1958 edition of Lalande's Te Deum includes a 6-page section of typed notes on his editing choices, his edition of wind and viola parts, ornamentation, a chart explaining Priestman's choral decoration, and a "leaf programme note" that includes a brief biography of Lalande.

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COLLECTION DESCRIPTION