Junior Durward Morsch (December 18, 1920 – August 2, 2015) was an American composer, prolific arranger, trombonist, and retired music educator who has worked and recorded professionally in a broad spectrum of genres, beginning with progressive big band jazz in the late 1940s and ending as a high school band director in Colorado. He was also the band director at Saguaro High School, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Career Morsch was born in Iowa. Noted for his scoring for symphonic band works, Morsch has written over 400 arrangements, including 125 marching band scores, 110 symphonic scores, and 125 scores for film, dating from the 1930s to the present.
His son, Robert Stuart Morsch (1942–2009), was a music educator at the collegiate level, notably the director of bands at Western Illinois University.
Between 1946 and 1949, Morsch recorded on five studio sessions and two live broadcast as trombonist with the Earle Spencer Orchestra. Morsch is an alumnus of the University of Southern California and the University of Northern Colorado (1950s). He died in 2015 at the age of 94 in Colorado Springs.
Selected arrangements and compositions Arrangements
Songs of a Wayfarer, by Mahler Arranged for concert band by Morsch (1950)Program Notes: 1950 Music Educators National Conference: North Texas State College Concert Band March 21, 1950
"Twelve clarinet quartets" Theodore Presser Company (1963)
"Circus Maximus," by Ottorino Respighi Arranged for concert band by Morsch
"The Day the Earth Stood Still," by Bernard Herrmann Arranged for concert band by Morsch
Overture to "Silverado," by Bruce Broughton Arranged for wind symphony by Morsch
"The Decline and Fall of a Bridge," by John Dankworth Arranged for wind symphony by Morsch
"Little Bach Suites No. 1 & 2" Arranged for 3 instruments (woodwind, strings, recorders, or mixed) Theodore Presser Company (1964) , ,
"Contredanse," K. 510, C 13.02 "Minuet," K. 599, No. 1 By Mozart Universal Music Group Trio for flute, B♭ clarinet, and bassoon (or strings or recorders or mixed) Theodore Presser Company (1964), Universal edition , ,
"Consolation No. 4," by Franz Liszt For 3 B♭ clarinets, E♭ alto clarinet, B♭ bass clarinet, EE♭ contrabass clarinet, and BB♭ contrabass clarinet
"Section studies for flutes: auxiliary fingering, ear training and intonation, tone quality, blend and balance, technique" By Nilo W. Hovey & Morsch Belwin-Mills (1968)
"Little Handel suite" Arranged for 3 instruments (woodwind, strings, recorders, or mixed) Theodore Presser Company (1964) ,
"Erie Canal," by Gail Kubik Arranged for wind symphony by Morsch
"Concerto for Flute and Strings," by Jerome Moross Arranged for wind ensemble by Morsch (2000)
"Overture to the 7th Voyage of Sinbad," by Bernard Herrmann Transcribed by Morsch
"Passacaglia," by Christopher Palmer Arranged for concert band by Morsch
"Poem," by Griffes Flute solo arranged by Morsch for wind ensemble
Compositions
"A Christmas Suite For Chamber Winds" "Fortinbras March" "Nuages" "Pantomime of the Actors" "Sinfonia," for Chamber Woodwind Ensemble "Yagi Bushi"
Professional affiliations Kappa Kappa Psi
Notes and references Notes
Inline citations
External links Short biography on J.D. Morsch at Really Good Music, LLC, Eau Claire, Wisconsin