Title:	Zenobia Powell Perry scores and music manuscripts
Identifier:	BMRC.CBMR.ZPPERRY
Repository:	Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College Chicago
Extent:	11.0 Linear feet
Dates:	1954-2011
Abstract:	Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) was a professor, pianist, and composer whose compositions have been performed by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, and the West Virginia University Band and Symphony. The Zenobia Powell Perry papers span from 1954-2001 and are comprised entirely of Perry’s scores and music manuscripts.

Biographical/Historical note

Zenobia Powell Perry (1908-2004) was a professor, pianist, and composer whose compositions have been performed by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, the Detroit Symphony, and the West Virginia University Band and Symphony. Perry was born on October 3, 1908 in Boley, Oklahoma. In 1931, Perry went to Rochester, New York to study music under R. Nathaniel Dett. After graduating from Tuskegee Institute in 1938, Perry spent additional time studying composition with Darius Milhaud, Allan Willman, and Charles Jones at the University of Wyoming, earning her master of music in composition in 1954. Perry began teaching music in 1947 at Arkansas Agricultural Mechanical and Normal College (now called University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff), where she served until 1955. From 1955-1982, she was a faculty member and composer-in-residence at Central State University, in Wilberforce, Ohio. In 1987, Perry’s opera, Tawawa House, premiered at Central State University.

Cited Sources

Pool, Jeannie Gayle. American Composer Zenobia Powell Perry: Race and Gender in the 20th Century. Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2009.

Arrangement note

The papers are arranged into one series, “Compositions.” The collection is arranged alphabetically.

Scope and Contents note

The Zenobia Powell Perry papers span from 1954-2011 and are comprised entirely of Perry’s unpublished scores. The collection of scores includes Tawawa House, Perry’s opera based on the history of Wilberforce, Ohio, which premiered in 1987. Each folder includes a title page prepared by Perry’s biographer, Jeannie Gayle Pool, which may include some additional description of the composition. Titles that are followed by a “See” note, or by “Score Not Found,” contain only a title page prepared by Poole; they do not contain scores. Box 1 contains a CD-R with scans of many of the compositions.

Processing Information note

Processed by CLIR funded Black Metropolis Research Consortium “Color Curtain Processing Project.” Processors: T.J. Szafranski and Dominique Fuqua

Related Archival Materials note

Jeannie Gayle Pool Collection on Zenobia Powell Perry, Center for Black Music Research, Columbia College Chicago

Preferred Citation note

The preferred note citation is according to the Chicago Manual of Style: [Item description or title with date], [optional box and folder number], [collection title], Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago. {URL if digital}{Date accessed.}

For a bibliography, the specific item information is not necessary, though if a substantial series was used, the series title needs to be included before the collection title. [Collection title], Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College Chicago.

Subjects

INVENTORY

Series I: Compositions

CD-R with scans of compositions 2011

Aftermath – See Narrative undated

Ah Got a Home in a Dat Rock, for soprano and piano 1969

Alleluia undated

Angels Done Bowed Down, O de Angels Done Bowed Down undated

Arkansia, suite for violin and piano 1955

The Arkansas Traveller (sic) undated

At Tea, Suite – See Suite for Women’s Voices undated

Atmosphere Cycle – See Threnody undated

Benediction for violin and piano – See Threnody undated

A Bit of Fun – See Arkansia undated

Blaize – See Piano Potpourri undated

Cantata – See Sing Unto The Lord a New Song undated

Certainly Lord, for tenor and piano 1974

Childhood Capers – See Piano Potpourri undated

Chit-Chat – See Conversations for two flutes and piano undated

Choral Suite No. 1, for tape sounds, percussion, piano, 16 voice choir 1963

Choral Suite for Women’s Voices – See Suite for Women’s Voices undated

Christmas Is More – See Notes of Christmas undated

Clean Tale, A – See Cycle of Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar undated

Conversations, for two flutes and piano 1975

The Cottage, for soprano and piano 1964

Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray, for baritone and piano 1978

Cycle of Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar, for voice and piano 1977-1983

[The] Day of Resurrection! undated

Done Made My Vow to the Lord, for SATB 1974

Dreams – See Three Sketches undated

Drizzle – See Cycle of Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar undated

Echoes of the Journey, for soprano and chamber orchestra 1990

Echoes of the Journey for soprano and chamber orchestra (parts) 1990

Elegy for Brass Quintet, for trumpet, 2 horns in F, trombone, and tuba/euphonium 1980, revised 1989

Episcopal Eucharistic Lectionary Propers, Palm Sunday 1970 by the Children’s Choir 1970

Episodes I and II, for horn and piano 1983

Excursions, for piano trio 1989

Fantasy, for violin and piano 1968; revised 1972

Fantasy Rondo, for solo piano 1962-1963

Festival Prelude, for organ 1975

Five Fold Amen 1961

Flight – See Piano Potpourri 1970

Folk Song – See Arkansia undated

For Bahai Chorus 2000

Four Mynyms for Three Players, for flute, oboe, and piano 1963; revised 1968 and 1979

Fulfillment, for baritone [voice] and piano 1967

Gifts for four part women’s voices 1993

Gloria in Excelsis, for soprano and piano 1967

Go Tell It on the Mountain 1974

Gossip – See Conversation for two flutes and piano undated

Great Gittin’ Up Mornin’ – See Tawawa House undated

Hallelujah, for unison children’s chorus and SS chorus 1972

Hallelujah, for brass octet 1984

Hallelujah to the Lamb 1969; revised 1982

Heritage and Life: A Cycle of Songs, for soprano and piano undated

[The] Hidden Words of Baha’u’llah, for soprano, flute, and piano 1977

Homage to William Levi Dawson on his 90th Birthday – See Piano Potpourri 1990

How Charming is the Place, for soprano and organ or piano 1994

Humoreske – See Three Sketches undated

Hymn of Praise 1986

In the Great Gittin’ Up Mornin’ – See Tawawa House undated

Introduction, Prelude and Danse for band 1968

It’s Me O Lord, Standing in the Need of Prayer, for baritone and piano 1974

Jazzy (Jazz) Trifle – See Piano Potpourri 1986

Journey – See Echoes from the Journey undated

Jovial – See Four Mynyms for Three Players undated

Jubilant – See Four Mynyms for Three Players undated

Just Folks 1956, 1957

Kid Stuff – See Three Songs for Christmas undated

Kum Ba Yah 1975

Kum Ba Yah, for children’s chorus and conga drum undated

Lamb of God, for SSA 1958

Landlord’s Ballad – See Ballad for Piano After Ballad of the Landlord undated

Landscape – See Arkansia undated

Latino Rhythms, for two trumpets and piano 1959

Let Thy Merciful Ears, O Lord undated

Life undated

Lift Every Voice and Sing (arrangement) 1975

Lo! He Comes, with Clouds Descending 1969

Londonderry Air, for violin and piano 2001

Love Came Down at Christmas, for unison children’s chorus and strings 1972

The Love of God 1991

Make a Joyful Noise (Psalm 98: 4-6) from Great Gittin’ Up Mornin’ undated

March (Three Notes) undated

Mary Had a Baby – See Three Songs for Christmas undated

Mass in F# Minor, for soprano and bass soli, SATB, and piano or organ 1968

Meadow Fresh undated

Melancholy – See Four Mynyms for Three Players undated

A Mighty Fortress is Our God 1975

Moods, for mixed quartet of voices, marimba, and conga drum 1974

Music for SATB and piano undated

Music from Ohio – See Notes of Christmas 1993

Narrative, for flute, narrator/soprano, two percussionists, and piano 1975

Ninefold Amen undated

Notes for Christmas, for SATB and piano 1991

Nova Songs, electronic music on tape undated

O de Angels Done Bowed Down, for mezzo-soprano and piano 1973

O Lord, Make Thy Beauty, for SATB a cappella 1991

O the Angels Done Bowed – See O de Angels Done Bowed Down undated

Of Life and Love – See Cycle of Songs on Poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar undated

O Peter, Go Ring Dem Bells, for SATB and piano undated

O Whisper, O My Soul – See Tawawa House undated

On a Clean Book – See Cycle of Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar undated

Orrin and Echo – See Piano Potpourri 1970

O’ Tannenbaum undated

Pastels for orchestra 1986

Pavanne for piano – See Reflections for Piano 1975

Pensive – See Four Mynyms for Three Players undated

Philosophy, for flute, cello and voice 1984

Piano Potpourri 1990

Piano Sonata No.3 1959-1960

Piano Sonatina – See Sonatina for Piano 1962

Precious Lord, for SATB and piano 1976

Prelude, for horn and piano – See Episodes I and II undated

Prelude and Aria for Clarinet – See Sonata for Clarinet and Piano undated

Prelude for organ 1973

Prism for organ 1975

Program Symphony 1954

Promenade – See Piano Potpourri 1988

Quiet of Christmas – See Notes of Christmas undated

Redemption, for SATB 1963

Reflections for piano undated

Rhapsody for piano – See Piano Potpourri undated

The Resurrection (Jonathan Brooks), for unison soprano and alto, organ or piano undated

Rhyme for saxophone and piano, for alto saxophone and piano 1968; revised 1977

Ride, Ride, Ride King Jesus, for SATB a cappella 1974

Round and Round – See Piano Potpourri 1977

Salon du Capriccii, for piano 1972

Sanctus and Agnus Dei – See Episcopal Eucharistic Lectionary Propers Palm Sunday undated

Ships That Pass in the Night, for instrumental ensemble and narrator 1988

Sing Unto the Lord a New Song, a cantata for soprano, mezzo-soprano, baritone, narrator, SATB, flute, timpani, harp, and organ 1976

Sinner Man So Hard, Believe! for soprano and piano 1967; revised 1969

Soliloquy – See Piano Potpourri 1979

Sonata for clarinet and piano 1963

Sonata for violin and piano – Score Not Found undated

Sonata for Piano Forte 1960

Sonata No. 3 1959-1960

Sonatina for piano 1962

Sonatine for piano 1963

Songs for Nobody – Score Not Found 1961

Sound Patterns, for narrator and clarinet 1978

Spring Song – See Cycle of Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar undated

Standing in the Need of Prayer for baritone and piano – See Its Me O Lord Standing in the Need of Prayer 1976

Still, Still 1972

String Quartet No. 1 1956

Suite for Piano 1963

String Quartet No. 2 – See Three Designs for Four Strings 1964

Suite for Women’s Voices, for SSAA and piano 1963; revised 1984

Sunset – See Cycle of Songs on Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar undated

Symphonic Poem, for orchestra – See Ships that Pass in the Night 1954

Tawawa House, opera in two acts for SSSAATTBB 1985

Teeta – See Piano Potpourri 1988

Tempo for wind ensemble and soprano 1993

There’s a Lit’l Wheel A-Turnin’ 1976

Three Designs for Four Strings (String Quartet No. 2) 1964

Three Expressions for Piano – Score Not Found 1973-1974

Three Sketches, for piano 1960

Three Songs for Christmas, for soprano and piano – See “Kidstuff” in the Heritage and Life Song Cycle – See also “Mary had a Baby” – See “Fulfillment” for baritone and piano 1989

Three Spirituals undated

Threnody Song Cycle 1969-1972

Ties – See Piano Potpourri undated

Times Five – See Suite for Piano undated

Times Seven – See Piano Potpourri 1985

To a Dark Girl for voice and piano, on poetry by Gwendolyn Bennet; also a version based on poetry of Langston Hughes “Song for a Dark Girl” 1971