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Cal Lampley music manuscripts

 Collection
Identifier: PIMS-0027

Scope and Contents

The Cal Lampley music manuscripts (bulk 1980-1990) contain primarily manuscript and photocopied scores of music composed by Lampley. Many of these scores include instrumental parts. The collection also includes concert programs and papers pertaining to specific performances.

Dates

  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1980-1990
  • Creation: approximately 1970-1990

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for use at the Peabody Archives. Contact peabodyarchives@lists.jhu.edu for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright. All requests for permission to publish or perform materials in this collection must be submitted in writing to the archivist of the Arthur Friedheim Library.

Biographical / Historical

Producer, composer, and musician Calvin Douglas Lampley had a lengthy career in the record industry. Born in Dunn, North Carolina, in 1924, Lampley earned his Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. In 1943 he enrolled in the Black-only 364th Infantry. After serving in the army, Lampley used the GI Bill to move to New York and attend the Juilliard School of Music, where he studied piano with Irwin Freundlich and composition with Richard Franko Goldman. He graduated in 1949 with his Artist Diploma in piano and made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1953.

He was later hired as a tape and music editor by Columbia’s Masterworks label, quickly rising through the ranks and taking a job as George Avakian’s assistant. Lampley moved on from Columbia to work at Warner Brothers, RCA Victor, and Prestige. Throughout his career in the record industry, Lampley worked with some of the most iconic jazz and popular musicians of the time, including Leonard Bernstein, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, Erroll Garner, Victor Borge, Arthur Godfrey, Mahalia Jackson, Liberace, Johnny Mathis, Duke Ellington, Nina Simone, Judy Garland, Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Gil Evans, Pat Martino, Sonny Stitt, Frank Foster, and Johnny Hammond Smith.

Lampley moved to Baltimore in 1968 to attend the Peabody Conservatory of Music, where he received his Master of Music in composition. While at Peabody, Lampley was named the director of the Institute's first jazz ensemble, becoming the first full-time African-American faculty member. He then took a teaching job at Morgan State University in 1971, where he taught piano and composition for nearly 20 years.

Lampley was also a classical music critic on Maryland Public Television’s The Critics' Place and hosted WCBM-AM’s Peabody Presents radio program. Lampley also wrote compositions for television and released his own album of band arrangements in 1959. Lampley died in 2006.

Extent

1.72 Cubic Feet (3 medium flat boxes, 2 large flat boxes, 1 oversize flat box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

A record producer, composer, pianist, critic, and educator, Cal Lampley taught at the Peabody Conservatory and Morgan State University for many years after working in the record industry. The Cal Lampley music manuscripts contain scores of his music and a small collection of concert programs and related papers.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Scores donated by Calvin Lampley in 1987. Additional material donated in 2003 by Charles Hamilton. "Kumbaya" arrangement score photocopy donated in 2023 by the University of Maryland (2023-24.PIMS.04).

Related Materials

An oral history conducted with Lampley in 2002 can be found in the Sounds and Stories collection, PIMS.0091.

Processing Information

Processed by Scott A. Miller in 2015.

Source

Title
Guide to the Cal Lampley music manuscripts
Author
Kerri Sheehan
Date
2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Peabody Archives Repository

Contact:
Peabody Institute
1 E. Mount Vernon Place
Baltimore MD 21202 USA