Finding Aid
About the Collection
Dr. Robert Dillon was an Oklahoma composer and Professor of Theory and Composition at Central State University (Now the University of Central Oklahoma) from 1966 until his retirement in 1987. Dr. Dillon graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1947 with a B. Mus., and also completed a Masters in Music at the University of Southern California. He received his doctorate in Music Education from the University of Oklahoma in 1971. Dr. Dillon was a long time music teacher for Bethany Public Schools before he transitioned to his position at Central State University. He arranged and composed music for O.U.’s Sooner Scandals and for various musicians and music groups. He also composed instrumental and choral work, the performance of which required virtuoso technique. The collection, donated by his three daughters, consists of: original compositions, arrangements (including commission work), publisher correspondence and royalty statements, academic materials (including teaching papers), general correspondence, personal memorabilia (including photos, awards, diplomas), and audio performance tapes.
Scope & Content
The majority of this collection consists of pieces of music, either originally composed by or arranged by Robert Dillon. The musical pieces include full scores, sketches of scores, condensed scores, published copies, unbound copies, photocopies, parts for various instruments, and incomplete pieces. The collection also includes audio recordings (mainly recordings of Dillon’s work), recorded on various types of recording tape or vinyl records. The collection also includes some of Dillon’s personal correspondence with publishers, fellow composers, and others. In addition, the collection includes some of Dillon’s record albums and books about music (some of which contain Dillon’s notes). Also, the collection includes materials related to Dillon’s academic career (including some of the papers and articles he composed) and some of his teaching materials (including course syllabi). The collection also includes some news clippings (many of them related to Dillon’s Bicentennial Pageant: “Oklahoma USA”) and programs for productions featuring Dillon and/or his work.
Provenance
The materials were given to the UCO Archives & Special Collections in 2010 by Judy Kencke, Ellen Burkett, and Nancy Dillon, Robert Dillon’s daughters.
