Lettie Beckon Alston

1953 - 2014

About

Lettie Beckon Alston (1953-2014) is the first African-American, woman composer to obtain a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1983. As a teenager, she studied piano with Pearl Roberts McCullom. She received bachelor and master’s degrees in music composition at Wayne State University, studying with James Hartway and piano instructors Mischa Kottler and Frank Murch. When Alston was accepted at Michigan, her principle teachers were Dr. Leslie Bassett and Dr. William Bolcom. Dr. Alston is Associate Professor of Music at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. She was the artistic director of Lettie Alston and Friends Professional Artists Concerts from 1995-2008 featuring music by living composers. Dr. Alston was the artistic director of the Composers at Oakland concert programs, featuring faculty, alumni and student works. The collection includes scores, dated 1974-2007 and undated, with one CD of the composer’s work, and a promotional brochure. Collection also includes published and unpublished music.

Related Information

http://bmrcsurvey.uchicago.edu/collections/2559-1, http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2227010

Works by Lettie Beckon Alston