Thomas Nee Papers
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2005
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Languages:
English
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Thomas Nee Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS 0609
Physical Description:
1 Linear feet
(3 archives boxes and 1 oversize box)
Date (inclusive): 1946-2001
Abstract: The papers of Thomas Nee, conductor and University of California, San Diego emeritus professor of music, include correspondence
and biographical materials related to his fifty years of classical and experimental music conducting.
Preferred Citation
Thomas Nee Papers, MSS 609. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Acquisition Note
Acquired 2003, 2010.
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Scope and Content of Collection
The papers of Thomas Nee, conductor and emeritus professor of music, contains
correspondence from twentieth century composers including university mentor Ernst Krenek, as well as composers Henry Brant,
Robert Erickson, Dika Newlin, Will Ogden, Pauline Oliveros, Bernard Rands, Roger Reynolds, and Dane Rudhyar. The papers also
also contains biographical materials, including programs and newsclippings, reflecting his conducting career from 1948-2001,
writings, and audio visual materials. The recorded materials represent concerts Nee conducted during his career. The collection
is arranged in four series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) CONDUCTING EXPERIENCE, 3) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, and 4) AUDIO VISUAL RECORDINGS.
Biography
Born in Evanston, Illinois on Oct. 25, 1920, Thomas Nee graduated from the University of Minnesota. Following service in the
Merchant Marine during World War II, he received his masters of arts from Hamline University, where he studied under composer
Ernst Krenek. His postgraduate work included studies at the University of Vienna, the Austrian State Academy, and Black Mountain
College with composer Stefan Wolpe in North Carolina, as well as private study with conductor Hermann Scherchen in Switzerland.
Nee was music director for the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis from 1954-1967 and 1972-1973.
In 1967, Nee joined the UCSD Music Department, accepted the position of conductor, taught music, and served as department
chair from 1971-1977. He also conducted SONOR, a resident ensemble that performed experimental music by UCSD composers. In
addition to conducting the La Jolla Symphony and Chorus during the academic year, he also conducted the New Hampshire Music
Festival during the summer months from 1960-1992. Nee conducted world premieres of contemporary repertoire and numerous guest
engagements including opera workshops, festivals, the Minnesota Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Eastman Philharmonic,
Rochester Philharmonic, and Darmstadt Ferienkurse.
Nee retired from UCSD in 1991, but remained active until his death in 2008, overseeing the Tom Nee Commission, awarded each
year to a graduate-level composer whose new piece is performed each spring by La Jolla Symphony & Chorus.
Restrictions
The audio and visual recordings in Box 3, Folders 1-3 are restricted and require a user copy to be produced.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Music -- 20th century
Composers -- Correspondence
Ogdon, Will, 1921-2013 -- Correspondence
Oliveros, Pauline, 1932-2016 -- Correspondence
Rands, Bernard -- Correspondence
Krenek, Ernst, 1900-1991 -- Correspondence
Partch, Harry, 1901-1974 -- Correspondence
Nee, Thomas -- Archives
Erickson, Robert, 1917-1997 -- Correspondence
Reynolds, Roger, 1934- -- Correspondence
Cage, John -- Correspondence
Rudhyar, Dane, 1895-1985 -- Correspondence
Box 1, Folder 1
A-Z Miscellaneous
General note
Includes John Adams, Hans Erich Apostle, Dominick Argento, Vladamir Ashkenazy, Sol Babitz, William Bolcom, Earle Brown, Roque
Cordero, Kenneth Gaburo, Anton Heiller, Lee Hoiby, Alan Hovhaness, Tom Johnson, Ulysses Kay, Leon Kirchner, Barbara Kolb,
May Kurka, Anna Mahler, Marina Mahler, Bruce Mather, Dimitri Mitropoulos, Hilda Morley, and Andrey Olkhovsky.
Box 1, Folder 2
Brant, Henry
1965 - 1999
General note
Composer of spatial music.
Box 1, Folder 4
Erickson, Robert
1953 - 1984
Box 1, Folder 6
Greenberg, Alvin
1999-2004
Box 1, Folder 7
Krenek, Ernst
1946 - 1989
Box 1, Folder 8
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
1959-1966
Box 1, Folder 9
Newlin, Dika
1953 - 1998
General note
Composer and biographer of Mahler, Schoenberg, and Brucken.
Box 1, Folder 11
Oliveros, Pauline
1960 - 1996
Box 1, Folder 13
Rands, Bernard
1977 - 2001
Box 1, Folder 14
Reynolds, Roger
1967 - 1999
Box 1, Folder 15
Rudhyar, Dane
1972 - 1988
Box 2, Folder 1
Osage, Iowa High School band - Photograph
1943
Box 2, Folder 2, Oversize FB-495-01
Box 2, Folder 4, Oversize FB-495-02
Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis - Newsclippings
1953-1967
Box 2, Folder 5
New Hampshire Music Festival - Miscellaneous
1954-2007
Box 2, Folder 6, Oversize FB-495-03
First Unitarian Society, Minneapolis, MN - Newsclippings
1954-1964
Box 2, Folder 7
Macalester College, St. Paul, MN - Programs and newsclippings
1959-1966
Center Opera Association of Walker Art Center
Box 2, Folder 9
Opera Log 4 - "Music of the Greek Operas" - Photocopy
1967
Box 2, Folder 10
La Jolla Civic Orchestra and Symphony and Chorus - Miscellaneous
1967-2007
University of California, San Diego Music Department
Oversize FB-495-04
Compositions by Will Ogden
1979; 2000
General
Includes "Comments and Capriccio for Orchestra," written for Thomas Nee and the La Jolla Orchestra, September 5, 1979 and
"Chamber Suite 2000 for Wind Quartet, String Quartet, and Piano," 2001.
Box 2, Folder 15
"Black Mountain and Wolpe" - Handwritten essay
Box 2, Folder 16
"Chapbook: Nine Poems"
November, 2005
Box 2, Folder 17
"Philosophies of History in the Writings of Gray, Krenek, Leichtentritt, and Sachs," Master's Thesis, Hamline University
1948
Box 3, Folder 1
Beethoven 9th Symphony, DVD
December 1996
Conditions Governing Access
Restrictions Apply
Box 3, Folder 2
Francis Thorne tribute to Thomas Nee for his 1992 season celebration, audiocassette, 60 minutes
Conditions Governing Access
Restrictions Apply
Box 3, Folder 3
In appreciation for Thomas Nee by David Chaitkin, audiocassette, 60 minutes
Conditions Governing Access
Restrictions Apply
