Dates

• Existence: March 21, 1878 - October 9, 1963

Biography

Thurlow Lieurance was born March 21, 1878 in Oskaloosa, Iowa. During his young adult life, Lieurance was a musician in the United States Army during the Spanish-American war. He was discharged and enrolled at the College of Music in Cincinnati. In 1924, he received a doctorate in music from the College of Music in Cincinnati. In 1917, Lieurance married Edna Wooley and relocated to Wichita, Kansas. While living in Wichita, he was the Dean of Fine Arts at Wichita State University from 1926-1945.

Lieurance composed several works, such as By the Waters of Minnetonka, Indian Songs, Wiegenlied, Spring Song of the Crow, Snowflakes, She Stands There Smiling, Pocahontas was an Indian Queen, My Lovely Maiden, Longing, Like Light of Star, I Sing in My Heart at the Weaving, Consecration, and other notable works. In addition to his work as a composer, Lieurance was intrigued by American Indian music. He visited various Indian reservations, such as the Crow Reservation in Montana in order to conduct research and make sound recordings of their music.

He received various honors and awards during his lifetime from various institutions, such as, Theodore Presser Music Co., the American Scientific Research Society, Wichita Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Commerce of Boulder, CO, and others.

Thurlow Lieurance died October 9, 1963, in Boulder, CO.

Sources: - “A Kansan Who Has Preserved Indian Music.” Kansas City Star. 30 December 1917. - Wolff, Michele. Who Was Thurlow Lieurance: Thurlow Lieurance Memorial Music Library. 1996. Wichita State University Libraries 5 May 2008 /library.wichita.edu/music/thurlow_lieurance.htm>.

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