Donald H. White papers

Donald H. White, a noted composer and music educator taught in the DePauw University School of Music for more than 30 years and served as its director from 1974-78.

Born February 28, 1921 in Narberth, Pennsylvania, White studied music education at Temple University, composition at the Philadelphia Conservatory, and earned the M.M. and Ph.D. from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York.

Professor White served in World War II as a navigator on B-17s and was awarded the Air Medal and two Oak Leaf Clusters for "exceptionally meritorious achievement while participating in 15 separate bomber combat missions over enemy occupied continental Europe." He was shot down on March 26, 1944 on his 19th mission over Germany/France (bombing V-2 rocket emplacements in Pas de Calais area in Northern France), was captured and held in a prison camp for 13 months.

In 1947, White joined the DePauw faculty, and served as chairman of composition and theory studies from 1948-81, spending four years leading the School of Music. He left DePauw to chair the music department at Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, serving from 1981-90.

Dr. White composed many works for orchestra, chamber, band and vocal performance, including Kennebec Suite (1947); 3 to 5 for Woodwind Quintet (1964); Terpsimetrics (1968); Song of Mankind for Soloists, Chorus, and Orch. (1970); Concertino for Timpani, Winds, and Percussion (1973); From the Navajo Children for Chorus and Wind Ensemble (1978).

Donald H. White died October 4, 2016 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was 95 years old.