Thomas Canning

Biography

Thomas Canning was
born in Brookville, Pennsylvania in 1911. He received the Bachelor of Music
degree from Oberlin College in 1936 and the Master of Music degree from the
Eastman School of Music of University of Rochester in 1940. At Oberlin he
studied composition with Normand Lockwood and at Eastman with Howard Hanson and
Bernard Rogers. From 1936 to 1941 he taught at Morningside College in Sioux
City, Iowa and in 1945 and 1946 he taught at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania. He was on the music faculty of the Royal Conservatory of Music at
the University of Toronto during the 1946-1947 academic season and from there
went to Eastman School of Music where he taught until 1963. Canning taught at
West Virginia University from 1963 until his retirement in 1977 at which time
he was named Professor Emeritus. He was a Fulbright Scholar in England in
1961-1962.

Canning was a member of the American Composers Alliance, The Hymn Society of
America, Pi Kappa Lambda (National Music Honorary Society), and in 1966 was named
a National Honorary Member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Most of his compositions
were written for specific occasions or organizations. Canning died in 1989.

ACE Publications

53 title(s)
Composer Title SCORING/INSTRUMENTATION Year
Thomas Canning MEDITATION ON THE TUNE 'HYFRYDOL'
Oboe, string quintet (2vln, vla, vc, db)
Thomas Canning MUDRAS
Flute, harp, percussion, spoken prologue
Thomas Canning MY SOUL THIRSTETH FOR GOD
SSA
Thomas Canning NATURE'S PLAYMATES
Medium voice, piano
Thomas Canning O GOD, OUR LORD, THY HOLY WORD
SATB, trumpet (2), horn (2), trombone (2), strings
Thomas Canning PERPETUAL MOTION
Trumpet (2), percussion
Thomas Canning PRAISE
Tenor, percussion (11)
Thomas Canning PRAISE'O ABRAHAM
SATB with descant, trumpet (2), organ
Thomas Canning PRELUDE & CHORALE
Trombone (4), percussion
Thomas Canning PSALM 1
SATB, oboe
Thomas Canning ROGATION HYMN SATB, trumpet (2), trombone (2)
Thomas Canning RONDO FOR PERCUSSION AND BRASS
Horn (2), trumpet (2), trombone (3), tuba, percussion
Thomas Canning SHEPHERDS CAROL
SSAA or SSATB
Thomas Canning SONATA FOR ORGAN
Organ
Thomas Canning SPIRIT OF GOD
SATB, violin (4), viola (2), cello (2)
Thomas Canning SPIRIT OF THE MOUNTAINS, THE
SATB, trumpet (2), trombone (3), percussion, organ
Thomas Canning SPRING
SSA
Thomas Canning SYMPHONY NO 1 'CLASSICAL'
Percussion ensemble
Thomas Canning TEMPTATION OF JESUS, THE
Narrator, TTBB, horn (2), trumpet (2), trombone (3), tuba, percussion
Thomas Canning THAT GOOD OLD MOUNTAIN DEW
SSA
Thomas Canning THREE PIECES FOR CLARINET AND PIANO Clarinet, piano
Thomas Canning THREE SONGS
Soprano, piano
Thomas Canning TROUBLES OF MY HEART ARE ENLARGED, THE
SATB, organ
Thomas Canning TRUMPETS ON THE TOWER(An Easter Reveille)
2 SATB choirs, trumpet (2), trombone (2)
Thomas Canning TWO SONGS
Soprano, cello, piano

Additional Works