Collection Title: Paul W. Shahan Recordings
Series Number: RG014-13-23
Department: Music Department
Processed and Cataloged by: Processed by Dieter C. Ullrich in August 2013
Date Listed: August 28, 2013
Date Span: ca. 1960-1980
Size of Collection: 0.5 linear feet
Number of Boxes: 2 document cases
Type of Material: Reel-to-reel audio tapes, cassette tapes, microfilm and musical scores
Condition of Material: Good
Arrangement: Organized by format of material; chronological arrangement
Historical Information: Paul W. Shahan was composer, band director, Professor of Music and Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Murray State University beginning in 1957. He was born at Grafton, West Virginia on January 2, 1923. He received degrees from Fairmont State College, West Virginia University and George Peabody College. Before he was employed at Murray State, he taught music at public schools in Taylor County, West Virginia and attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. He directed the University’s Symphonic Band, Pep Band and Marching Thoroughbred Band. He served as the chairman of the Kentucky Division of the College Band Directors National Association for three terms and published numerous articles and scores. He composed the music for The Stubblefield Story and the inaugural music for three Murray State presidents. He twice received the Thor Johnson Award for outstanding composition. He was the first American composer to receive the award in 1952. Shahan wrote over sixty compositions before his death on February 2, 1997.
Scope and Content: The collection consists of reel-to-reel and cassette recordings composed by Paul W. Shahan of Murray State University from the 1960s to the 1980s. The recordings contain the 1963 and 1976 performance of The Stubblefield Story, the 1976 performance of Beat the Drums Proudly and several other compositions performed by the University’s Symphonic Band and other bands. Included with the recordings are microfilmed scores and music published by Shahan.
Subject Headings / Descriptors:
Shahan, Paul W., 1923-1997.
Murray State University – Music Department.
Composers – Kentucky – Murray.
