Alfred Reed

Photo of Alfred Reed

Composer, arranger, conductor and editor, Alfred Reed’s life was intertwined with music almost from birth in New York City on January 25th, 1921. His parents loved good music and made it part of their daily lives; as a result he was well acquainted with most of the standard symphonic and operatic repertoire while Mr. Reed was still in elementary school.

Beginning formal music training at the age of ten as a trumpet player, he was already playing professionally while still in high school, and shortly thereafter began the serious study of harmony and counterpoint as a prelude to composition, which had come to exercise a stronger hold on his interest and ambition than playing. After three years at the Radio Workshop in New York, he spent the next three in service during World War II, where, as a member of an Air Force Band, he became deeply interested in the concert band and its music. Following his release, he enrolled at the Juilliard School of Music to study under Vittorio Giannini, and from there, in 1948, became a staff composer and arranger with NBC and subsequently, with ABC, where he wrote and arranged music for radio, television, record albums and films.

In 1953, Alfred Reed resumed his academic work (which had been interrupted by his leaving Juilliard for NBC) and became conductor of the Baylor Symphony Orchestra while at Baylor University in Texas. His Masters thesis was the RHAPSODY FOR VIOLA AND ORCHESTRA, which was to win the Luria Prize. Two years later, in 1955, he accepted the post of editor in a major music publishing firm, and for the next 11 years became deeply concerned with the problems of educational music at all levels of performance. In 1966 he left this position to join the faculty of the School of Music at the University of Miami, where he developed the first four-year Music Industry program, and in 1980, following the retirement of his old friend and colleague, Dr. Frederick Fennell, was appointed music director and conductor of the University of Miami Symphonic Wind Ensemble.

With over 200 published works in all media, many of which have been on required performance lists for over 25 years, Dr. Reed is one of the nation’s most prolific and frequently performed composers. In addition to winning the Luria Prize in 1959, he has been awarded over 60 commissions. . . with more on the way! His work as a guest conductor has taken him to 49 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, Australia and South America. He was the first “foreign” conductor to be invited to conduct and record with the world famous Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra, and is today the most frequently performed foreign composer in Japan.

Dr. Reed left New York for Miami, Florida, in 1960, where he made his home until his death on September 16, 2005.

Publications by Alfred Reed

  • Lorva Horovel

    Lorva Horovel

    Reed/arr. Romeyn

    Grade: 3

    011-4873-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    011-4873-00
  • Come, Sweet Death

    Come, Sweet Death

    Bach/arr. Reed/arr. Benson

    Grade: 3

    026-4794-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    026-4794-00
  • A Jubilant Overture

    A Jubilant Overture

    A. Reed/arr. Conaway

    Grade: 3.5

    012-4058-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-4058-00
  • Two Bagatelles

    Two Bagatelles

    A. Reed/arr. A. Clark

    Grade: 3.5

    026-3978-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    026-3978-00
  • Perpetuum Mobile

    Perpetuum Mobile

    Strauss/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3.5

    012-3125-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-3125-00
  • Acalarado

    Acalarado

    A. Reed/arr. Pegram

    Full set

    Grade: 3.5

    052-1637-00More Info
    052-1637-00
  • Arioso

    Arioso

    J. S. Bach/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 4

    012-2905-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2905-00
  • Armenian Dances, Part II

    Armenian Dances, Part II

    A. Reed

    Grade: 4.5

    012-1943-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-1943-00
  • A Celebration Fanfare

    A Celebration Fanfare

    A. Reed

    Grade: 3.5

    012-2146-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2146-00
  • Chanson Triste

    Chanson Triste

    Tchaikovsky/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-2179-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2179-00
  • Clear Track Polka

    Clear Track Polka

    Strauss/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3.5

    012-3053-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-3053-00
  • Come, Sweet Death

    Come, Sweet Death

    J. S. Bach/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-1940-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-1940-00
  • Concertino for Marimba and Winds

    Concertino for Marimba and Winds

    A. Reed

    Grade: 4

    012-2507-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2507-00
  • Concertino for Marimba and Winds

    Concertino for Marimba and Winds

    A. Reed

    Marimba solo with piano reduction accompaniment

    Grade: 5

    120-0174-00More Info
    120-0174-00
  • Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness

    Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness

    J. S. Bach/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-2233-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2233-00
  • Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord

    Forget Me Not, O Dearest Lord

    J. S. Bach/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-1792-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-1792-00
  • Fourth Suite for Band

    Fourth Suite for Band

    A. Reed

    Grade: 4.5

    012-2508-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2508-00
  • Funiculi, Funicula

    Funiculi, Funicula

    Denza/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3.5

    012-2623-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2623-00
  • God Still Lives

    God Still Lives

    J. S. Bach/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-1826-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-1826-00
  • The Golden Year

    The Golden Year

    A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-2964-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2964-00
  • Greensleeves

    Greensleeves

    arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3.5

    012-2584-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2584-00
  • Gypsy Dance from Carmen

    Gypsy Dance from Carmen

    Bizet/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3.5

    012-2842-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2842-00
  • Hymn Variants

    Hymn Variants

    A. Reed

    Grade: 4

    012-2422-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-2422-00
  • If Thou Be Near

    If Thou Be Near

    J. S. Bach/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-1769-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-1769-00
  • Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

    Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring

    J. S. Bach/arr. A. Reed

    Grade: 3

    012-1952-00More Info This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
    012-1952-00