Donald Hunsberger
{{Short description|American conductor and arranger (1932–2023)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
|name=Donald R. Hunsberger
|image=Donald R. Hunsberger, USMC.jpg
|caption=Hunsberger in the 1950s, during his tenure in the United States Marine Band.
|birth_name=Donald Ross Hunsberger
|birth_date={{Birth date|1932|08|02}}
|death_date={{Death date and age|2023|11|05|1932|08|02}}
|birth_place=Souderton, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|death_place=Pittsford, New York, U.S.
|instrument=Trombone
|module={{Infobox military person
|embed=yes
|alma_mater=Eastman School of Music
|allegiance={{Flagu|United States|1912}}
|branch={{Marines|United States}}
|unit=United States Marine Band
|rank=25px Staff sergeant
|serviceyears=1954–1958
|battles=Second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower
}}
}}
Donald Ross Hunsberger (August 2, 1932 – November 5, 2023) was an American conductor and arranger. He served as the conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble from 1965 until 2002. He also held the position of Professor of conducting at the Eastman School of Music. Generally regarded as a key contributor to the rise of the modern wind ensemble in the twentieth century, Hunsberger's notable contributions include conducting, recording, and arranging music for winds. He was also a member of the United States Marine Band during the 1950s.
Early life and education
Hunsberger was born on August 2, 1932, in Souderton, Pennsylvania and attended the Eastman School of Music in New York.{{Cite web|url=https://democratandchronicle.com/obituaries/pnys0623141|title=Donald R. Hunsberger Obituary - Rochester Democrat And Chronicle|date=November 10, 2023|website=democratandchronicle.com}}
Career
From 1954 to 1958, Hunsberger was a member of the United States Marine Band,{{Cite web|url=https://classical.music.apple.com/ca/artist/122098046|title=Donald Hunsberger - Apple Music Classical|website=Apple Music Classical - Web Player}} where he served as an arranger and trombone soloist, reaching the rank of staff sergeant.https://www.google.com/books/edition/Congressional_Record/ZTw4AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Donald+R.+Hunsberger+1956&pg=SL1-PA6211&printsec=frontcover During this time, he composed an arrangement of the "Marines' Hymn", which is often performed by the Marine Band today,{{Cite book|title=MCO 5000.18|date=10 May 2013|chapter=2-2 Enclosure (1)|quote=7. Performance of 'The Marines' Hymn'. The Edward M. Van Loock arrangement of “The Marines’ Hymn” is designated as the official arrangement; however, the Donald R. Hunsberger arrangement is equally accepted for performance.|url=https://www.marines.mil/portals/1/publications/mco%205000.18.pdf}} and he performed at the second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957.
In 1962, he was appointed conductor of the Eastman Symphony Band and coordinator of the Instrumental Ensemble Program.Frank J. Cipolla and Donald Hunsberger, The Wind Ensemble and Its Repertoire: Essays on the Fortieth Anniversary of the Eastman Wind Ensemble (Rochester: University of Rochester Press, 1994), 17. In 1965, following the departure of Clyde Roller, Hunsberger was appointed as conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble, which had been created by Frederick Fennell. During his tenure with the Eastman Wind Ensemble, Hunsberger conducted many recordings, including some with trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Through his work as a conductor, author, and recording artist, Hunsberger helped further the principles of the wind ensemble concept, including "specified instrumentation, the orchestral concept of performance, single performer approach [and] development of individual tone colors.".Frank J. Cipolla and Donald Hunsberger, The Wind Ensemble and Its Repertoire: Essays on the Fortieth Anniversary of the Eastman Wind Ensemble (Rochester: University of Rochester Press, 1994), 22. From 1985 to 1987, Hunsberger served as the president of the College Band Directors National Association."CBDNA - CBDNA - About CBDNA - Officers - Past Presidents" at {{cite web |url=http://www.cbdna.org/cgi-bin/about24.pl |title=CBDNA - CBDNA - About CBDNA - Officers - Past Presidents |accessdate=2010-04-16 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125124930/http://www.cbdna.org/cgi-bin/about24.pl |archivedate=2009-11-25 }} Accessed 2010-04-16.
=Arrangements and published works=
File:The Marines' Hymn performed by the 2nd Marine Division Band in London, UK.oga", played by the 2nd Marine Division Band.]]
Hunsberger also arranged transcriptions of orchestral music for concert band. Among these include: Shostakovich's Festive Overture; Kabalevsky's Colas Breugnon Overture, Grafulla's Echoes of the 1860s, Khachaturian's Ballet Suite from Spartacus, and John Williams' Star Wars Trilogy. Hunsberger was also the editor for the Remington Warm-Up Series. Hunsberger co-authored a book with Roy Ernst called The Art of Conducting, wrote a newsletter for MCA Music on Wind Ensemble Music, and many other articles. In 1994 he co-edited a book with Frank J. Cipolla called The Wind Ensemble and Its Repertoire: Essays on the Fortieth Anniversary of the Eastman Wind Ensemble.
Later life and death
In later years, Hunsberger rescored music for silent films, and conducted performances with major symphony orchestras. Until his death, Hunsberger was conductor emeritus of the Eastman Wind Ensemble."Donald Hunsberger - Eastman School of Music", at http://www.esm.rochester.edu/faculty/hunsberger_donald Accessed 2010-04-16.
Hunsberger died in Pittsford, New York, on November 5, 2023, at the age of 91.{{cite news |title=Musicians mourn the passing of Eastman conductor Donald Hunsberger |url=https://www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2023-11-07/musicians-mourn-the-passing-of-eastman-conductor-donald-hunsberger/ |access-date=30 November 2023 |publisher=WXXI News |date=7 November 2023}}
Selected bibliography
- Cipolla, Frank J., and Donald Hunsberger, eds. [https://books.google.com/books?id=RB6I4Rt_fH0C&pg=PP1 The Wind Band in and Around New York CA. 1830–1950.] Belwin-Mills, 2007. {{OCLC|156833235}}
- Cipolla, Frank J., and Donald Hunsberger, eds. The Wind Ensemble and Its Repertoire: Essays on the Fortieth Anniversary of the Eastman Wind Ensemble. University of Rochester Press, 1994. {{OCLC|961455544}}
- Hunsberger, Donald. "Wind Band: Here Today - Where Tomorrow? Music Journal 26:10 (December 1968), 36. {{ISSN|0027-4364}} (reprints); {{OCLC|317215434}}; {{OCLC|3612480}} (microform)
- Hunsberger, Donald, and Roy Ernst. The Art of Conducting. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1983. {{OCLC|906415812}}
Selected discography
- Eastman Wind Ensemble, Donald Hunsberger, conductor. American Music for Symphonic Winds. Decca DL 710163, 1968. {{OCLC|810336112}}
- Eastman Wind Ensemble, Donald Hunsberger, conductor. Homespun America (three record set). Vox Box SVBX 5309, 1976. {{OCLC|1004127171|28763671}}
- Eastman Wind Ensemble, Donald Hunsberger, conductor/arranger, Wynton Marsalis, cornet soloist. Carnaval. CBS Masterworks IM421137, 1986. {{OCLC|320499390}}
- Eastman Wind Ensemble, Donald Hunsberger, conductor. Live in Osaka. Sony Music SK47198, 1990. {{OCLC|725015677|1127491818|972850934}}
References
{{s-start}}
{{s-culture}}
{{s-bef|before=A. Clyde Roller}}
{{s-ttl|title=Conductor of the Eastman Wind Ensemble
|years=1965–2001}}
{{s-aft|after=Mark Scatterday}}
{{end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunsberger, Donald}}
Category:People from Souderton, Pennsylvania
Category:American conductors (music)
Category:American male conductors (music)
Category:University and college band directors
Category:Eastman School of Music faculty