Music
Harry Begian
1921–2010 · band director, conductor, arranger
Armenian American band director who made Cass Tech's band nationally famous from 1947 to 1964 before leading the bands of Michigan State and the University of Illinois.
- Born
Michigan- Died
aged 89- Detroit years
- 1947–1967
- Field
- Music
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Begian was born in Michigan in 1921 to Armenian immigrants. After studying at Tanglewood he became band director at Detroit's Cass Technical High School in 1947 and stayed until 1964. There he refined the ideals he had learned from William Revelli, from the euphonium virtuoso Leonard Falcone and from his trumpet teacher Leonard Smith, principal trumpet of the Detroit Symphony, and the Cass Tech band became known for playing with the polish of an orchestra. It was invited to the prestigious Mid-West Band Clinic in Chicago in 1954, and the Library of Congress later created a Harry Begian Collection holding 26 recordings of his Cass Tech bands. Urged on by his Cass mentor, the Detroit Symphony saxophonist Larry Teal, he earned a doctorate at the University of Michigan in 1964, directed the bands at his alma mater Wayne State from 1964 to 1967, succeeded Falcone at Michigan State in 1967 and later led the University of Illinois bands. In 1987 he was invited to conduct the Detroit Symphony at Orchestra Hall.
Highlights
- Band director at Cass Technical High School, 1947–1964
- Cass Tech band played the Mid-West Band Clinic in 1954
- Library of Congress holds 26 recordings of his Cass Tech bands
- Director of Bands at Michigan State University from 1967
- Guest-conducted the Detroit Symphony at Orchestra Hall in 1987
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 3
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Worked here · 1947–1964
Cass Technical High School (1922 building)
Demolished · 1922–2011
Begian directed the school's bands for seventeen years in its 1922 building, demolished in 2011.
Performed here · 1987
Detroit Symphony Orchestra — Orchestra Hall
Begian was invited to conduct the Detroit Symphony Orchestra here in 1987.
Worked here · 1964–1967
Wayne State University
Begian was Director of Bands at Wayne State, his alma mater, for three years before moving to Michigan State.