JB Floyd ( James Robert Floyd; born June 2, 1929) is an American concert pianist (jazz, classical,

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...

, ''avant-garde'', and the like), composer, and music pedagogue at the collegiate level. Before retiring in 2013, Floyd spent 64 years as a music educator in higher education, including as chairman of keyboard performance at

Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded as "Northern Illinois State Normal School" in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld, initially to provide the state with c ...

from 1962 to 1981 and chairman of keyboard performance at the

University of Miami The University of Miami (UM, UMiami, Miami, U of M, and The U) is a private university, private research university in Coral Gables, Florida, United States. , the university enrolled 19,852 students in two colleges and ten schools across over ...

Frost School of Music Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music is the music school at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. From 1926 to 2003, it was known as University of Miami School of Music. Academics and programs The University of Miami's Frost ...

from 1982 to 2013. Floyd is a Yamaha Artist.

Education

Floyd earned a

Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...

in 1948 and a

Master of Music The Master of Music (MM or MMus) is, as an academic title, the first graduate degree in music awarded by universities and conservatories. The MM combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually performance in singing or i ...

in 1950 from the

University of North Texas The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public university, public research university located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its main campus is in Denton, Texas, Denton, with a satellite campus in Frisco, Texas, Frisco. It serves as the ...

(

College of Music A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

). While at North Texas, he studied piano with Isabel and Silvio Scionti. In the 1950s, at the University of Corpus Christi, Floyd became head of the Department of Music, then Chairman of the Fine Arts Division. In Fall 1949, Floyd joined the music faculty of the

University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky, United States. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical ...

as piano instructor. He also served on the music faculty of

Sam Houston State University Sam Houston State University (Sam Houston, SHSU or Sam) is a public research university in Huntsville, Texas, United States. Founded in 1879, it is the third-oldest public college or university in Texas. It is one of the first normal schools wes ...

Career

Floyd, in 1949, was a grand winner of the National Guild of Piano Teachers Young Artist Competition at

Town Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. The award led to a sponsored solo recital at Town Hall, Wednesday, 8:30 , April 9, 1952. Harold C. Schonberg (1915–2003), a music critic for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', reviewed the performance. Floyd went on to earn a DMA in 1961 from

Indiana University Indiana University (IU) is a state university system, system of Public university, public universities in the U.S. state of Indiana. The system has two core campuses, five regional campuses, and two regional centers under the administration o ...

Jacobs School of Music The Indiana University Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington, Indiana, is a music conservatory established in 1921. Until 2005, it was known as the Indiana University School of Music. It has more than 1,500 students, approximately half of whom ar ...

. In 1962, Floyd joined the music faculty at the

University of Northern Illinois Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a Public university, public research university in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded as "Northern Illinois State Normal School" in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld, initially to provid ...

. In 1981, Floyd joined the faculty at the

. He taught there for 32 years, retiring as Chair ''

Emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

'' in 2013 while serving as Chair of the University of Miami's Department of Keyboard Performance.

Selected discography

* * * * * * * *

Selected publications

* "Beethoven's Piano Sonata, Op. 111 In Its Historical Perspective" (

thesis), by James Robert Floyd,

(1950); * "The keyboard music of Pergolesi" (

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi Giovanni Battista Draghi (; 4 January 1710 – 16 or 17 March 1736), usually referred to as Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (), was an Italian Baroque composer, violinist, and organist, leading exponent of the Baroque; he is considered one of the g ...

) ( DMA dissertation), by James Robert Floyd,

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...

(1961);

Bibliography

Notes

References

* * * (article provides early biographical information). . . . * * "Floyd studied with Isabel and Silvio Scionti ..." * J.B. Floyd (piano); Fred Atwood ( Fred Connell Atwood; born 1937) (bass); Dave Merrifield ( David Kay Merrifield; born 1937) (drums); Tony Calzaretta ( Anthony John Calzaretta; born 1940), vocalist (Claremont was a label of Vernon Charles Castle; 1928–2008). * . * Originally retrieved October 3, 2017 * * * (print). (web). . . * Reference ID: 51919; GS film no. 2240970; digital folder no. 4688276; image no. 285 (of 3534); indexing project (batch) no. C06136-3.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Floyd, JB 1929 births 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American classical pianists 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American classical pianists American male classical pianists Classical musicians from Florida Classical musicians from Texas Jacobs School of Music alumni Living people Musicians from Miami Northern Illinois University faculty Musicians from Tyler, Texas University of Miami faculty University of North Texas College of Music alumni