Arthur Shepherd

Biography

Arthur Shepherd (February 19, 1880 – January 12, 1958) was an American composer and conductor in the 20th century.

Life and career

Shepherd was born in Paris, Idaho, into a Mormon family. His family loved to sing and his father, William N. B. Shepherd,
wrote the hymn “Give Us Room That We May Dwell.” Shepherd performed with both the Paris Brass Band and the Bear Lake Stake Choir.
Shepherd entered the New England Conservatory when he was only twelve years old. After graduating with honors and as president
of his class, Shepherd returned to his family who had moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, and led a local orchestra for six years. In 1901, he married Hattie Hooper Jennings.
After some encouragement, he returned to the east and took a teaching position at the New England Conservatory where he studied under Charles F. Dennée, Percy Goetschius, Carl Faelten, and George W. Chadwick. He briefly served as a bandmaster during World War I. His marriage fell apart after his return from Europe and he moved with his children to Cleveland, Ohio. He took a job as the assistant director of the Cleveland Orchestra.
In 1922 he married Grazella Shepherd.
In 1927 he returned to teaching at the Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He retired in 1950 and died in 1958, after a failed operation at a Cleveland hospital. He composed over 100 works, including symphonies, string quartets and songs.
Shepherd was a Latter-day Saint. Although around the time of World War I, his divorce and remarriage, he distanced himself from the faith, he maintained a faith in God and his connections to the church and his people. His work made reference to the geography and music of the Latter-day Saints.

Influences

His influences include Percy Goetschius and George W. Chadwick, Arthur Farwell, French Impressionists and Englishman, Vaughan Williams.