Premru, Raymond (Eugene)
Premru, Raymond (Eugene)
Premru, Raymond (Eugene) , American trombonist, conductor, teacher, and composer; b. Elmira, N.Y., June 6, 1934; d. Cleveland, May 8, 1998. He studied at the Oberlin (Ohio) Coll. Cons. of Music, at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y. (B.M., 1956), and with Peter Racine Fricker in London. From 1958 to 1988 he played in the Philharmonia Orch. in London, and also was a member of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble (1960–86) and co-director of the Bobby Lamb-Ray Premru Big Band. He gave master classes in trombone virtuosity throughout the world, and taught at various institutions, including the Oberlin Coll. Cons. of Music (from 1988). In 1997 he won the Cleveland Arts Prize in Music. Among his works are a Concerto for Orchestra (1976), 2 syms. (1981; Cleveland, Nov. 23, 1988), Concerto for Trumpet and Strings (1983), Celebrations for Timpani and Orch. (1984), Music for 3 Trombones, Tuba, and Orch. (1985), other instrumental pieces, and choral works.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire