Digital Projects

H.A. VanderCook the Teacher, by Gilbert Edwin Wilson (forthcoming)

About this Digital Project

H.E. Nutt Teaching Worksheets (forthcoming)

About this Digital Project

The Significance of H.A. VanderCook and H.E. Nutt

Hale A. VanderCook co-founded VanderCook College of Music in 1909. This famous pedagogue influenced American music education through his publications and compositions. He was a pioneer in developing courses for teaching music through correspondence. He was an advocate in the philosophy that musical expression could be taught. He composed over 70 marches as well as numerous series for solo brass instruments, many of which are still widely played. The definitive biography of VanderCook, H.A. VanderCook the Teacher, was written in 1971 by Gilbert E. Wilson.

Hubert E. Nutt was co-founder of VanderCook College of Music, along with H.A. VanderCook. His role in training music teachers and developing the College's curriculum and purpose influenced several generations of music teachers throughout the country. He authored hundreds of instructional worksheets, such as “How to learn to listen: 20 principles.” He also patented several inventions, such as the “Tape Met,” a hand-held, pendulous metronome device which works by means of gravity.

The collections of VanderCook and Nutt continue to draw much attention. These collections are important because of the influence their creators had on several generations of noted American music educators and composers. The documents, inventions, and teaching materials present in these collections provide insight into the accomplishments and philosophies of these music educators. Several recent publications have made use of the H.E. Nutt Archives and its collections. These include, The H.A. VanderCook Solo Collection, published by Carl Fischer. The Carl Fischer publishing company used original scores in the H.E. Nutt Archives collection to complete this publication. Author and scholar Victor Zajec drew on archival resources for three of his publications: The First Fifty Years: Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic, Past Presidents of the American Bandmasters Association, and Edwin Franko Goldman Memorial Citation: a History.

Background on the VanderCook-Nutt Digital Projects

VanderCook College of Music, with assistance from an award give by the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI), digitized materials pertaining to two significant music educators: Hubert Estel Nutt and Hale A. VanderCook, co-founders of VanderCook College of Music.

H.A. VanderCook: the Teacher, by Gilbert Edwin Wilson, is the definitive biography of the college's founder and namesake. The original and complete text, along with notes and photographs, has been digitized. The project includes a full audio transcription of the text.

The college also digitized and created brief audio descriptions for over one hundred teaching worksheets written by Hubert Estel Nutt. The teaching worksheets demonstrate the breadth of Nutt's educational scholarship. Various topics include string pedagogy, teaching band, music theory, and baton twirling. A searchable text version, accompanied by audio narration, is provided for 11 of these documents.

Credits for the VanderCook-Nutt Digital Projects

Voice talent for the audio narration was provided by Innovative Artists Chicago. H.A. VanderCook the Teacher was read by Rick Elliott. The Nutt Teaching Worksheets were read by Chris Agos. Audio narration was recorded at Audio Recording Unlimited (ARU). The recording sessions were produced by VanderCook faculty member and production artist Mike Pendowski. The CONTENTdm collections were constructed by VanderCook College's Library Assistant, Rob DeLand. With special thanks to the family of G.E. Wilson for their generosity and assistance.