Biography of Clarence Sawhill

CHAPTER X – UCLA (1962-72)

The band program began to take on a larger role with the beginning of the national attention given UCLA with their winning basketball team. Starting in the winter of 1961-1962, UCLA, under head basketball coach John Wooden, played in their first national championship in the NCAA Playoffs in Louisville, Kentucky. From the 1963-1964 season until Sawhill's retirement in 1972, UCLA won the national championship eight times including five times in a row.

The heightened activities of the basketball program brought about more importance to the basketball band and varsity band program. Kelly James was in charge of this program and managed all aspects of its operation and performance. It also must be noted that beginning in the early sixties, Sawhill began more and more developing his role as a clinician with numerous guest appearances throughout the country.

Also during the sixties, the UCLA Marching Band began doing more current arrangements and took on a more "Hollywood" type rendition in their halftime shows. Many of the current movie and television themes were used in these routines. Timely and recent events were also used as themes for many of the productions.

Photo: The UCLA Bruin Marching band on Janss Steps

The band continued their system of splitting the weekly rehearsals with the marching band only practicing two days during the week. Monday was devoted to concert bands, Wednesday to ensembles and Friday was the rehearsal for the varsity band. This schedule remained in tact throughout the sixties.

The school year of 1961-1962 saw the establishment for the first time of a wind ensemble. Sawhill had maintained the large symphonic type concert band until this development in 1961.

He maintained the Concert Band that in nature was a second group. A check of the program shows that although the title of Wind Ensemble is given to this group, Sawhill's preference for the more lush sounds of the concert band persisted.

The instrumentation during the 1961-1964 years usually included, six to seven flutes and one piccolo; two oboes, twelve clarinets and one Eb clarinet; two alto clarinets and four bass clarinets; two bassoons, four saxophones, eight trumpets and cornets, four to eight horns, two baritones, three to five trombones and one bass trombone; two tubas and percussion to match the compositions. Seldom was there a single player to a part as is seen with many wind ensembles.

Although the use of the wind ensemble remained through the next ten years, Sawhill never felt comfortable with this smaller instrumentation. The larger symphonic band would still be the major concert group used by Sawhill in his major concerts.

During this period the UCLA Band Program had become established as the center for instrumental music education on the west coast and noted for the training of band directors. Students wanting to become band directors came to UCLA for their degrees and to study with Sawhill.

A check of programs of the early sixties shows many names who were to become high school directors in the California schools. Also, there were many graduate students who came to UCLA for their advanced degrees and also to work with Sawhill. Many of these later established themselves in public school and university roles.

Some of these would include William Hill, Director of Bands at California State University at Los Angeles, Lloyd Cook, Supervisor of Music in the Garland, Texas schools, Ron Logan, Senior Vice President of Entertainment at Disneyworld, and Lewis Hiigel, Director of Fine Arts at El Camino College.

By 1965, the UCLA Band calendar showed a vast assortment of performances and displays the many different functions of the UCLA Band. These would include, twelve concerts, five on the UCLA campus and seven on tour, including the CBDNA performance in Tempe, Arizona, performances at all the UCLA home football games and a show at the University of California in Berkeley, along with two guest marching appearances at high schools, the normal school pep functions, a concert for the groundbreaking of the Jules Stein Eye Institute, the spring sing at the Hollywood Bowl, and the varsity bands' performance at twenty-one basketball games.

The size of the band staff had increased to keep up with the large amount of activities. The staff now included Sawhill and James, along with the band manager, four equipment managers, two librarians, two uniform managers, two publicity managers, and several additional assistants. The students began taking a more active role in the organization and operation of the band program. The size and scope of the band made this a necessity and the period of the sixties also became a time of more student involvement in university operations and input both at UCLA and around the country. By 1966, the band staff had increased even more with an additional ten student helpers and three graduate assistants.

In 1964, the UCLA Concert Band performed for two different College Band Directors National Association conventions. In February, the band performed at the Western Division convention that was held at the University of Redlands, in Redlands, California, just outside of Los Angeles. For this program, Sawhill selected the Vittorio Giannini "Symphony No. Three for Band," "Fantasia in G Major" by Bach, arranged by Goldmant "Petite Suite" by Claude Debussy, and "Theme and Variations for Percussion" by William Kraft. Also, the band performed the "Toccata, Theme, and Variations" by Leonard Berkowitz, one of the compositions which was nominated to be performed at the national CBDNA convention the following winter.

In December of 1964, the UCLA Concert Band played for the national CBDNA convention held at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. For this concert Sawhill performed the "Miniature Set for Band" by Donald White, "Incantation and Dance" by John Barnes Chance, and the first movement of Robert Washburn's Symphony for Band." Also on the program was the "First Concertino" by Guilhaud played by William Hill on the soprano saxophone.

A highlight for Sawhill and the UCLA Concert Band occurred during the fall of 1965. The band performed the “Sinfonietta” by Ingolf Dahl on their fall concert. Dahl, who had been the orchestra conductor at USC while Sawhill was the band director, was a close associate. Although this was not the premiere performance of the work, Sawhill and Dahl worked closely in preparation of the work and the students involved were greeted to a great collaboration between conductor and composer. The work, which has become one of the most respected works for wind groups, was commissioned by the Western and Northern Divisions of the College Band Directors National Association in 1961.

The concerts by the wind ensemble and the concert band during the 1965, 1966, and 1967 seasons included a variety of literature and a definite move towards music of a more contemporary nature. In 1965, programs list performances of Gunther Schuller's "Meditation" and Vaclav Nelhybel ' s "Prelude and Fugue", both listed as west coast premieres on the program. In 1966, Rafael Juarez Castellanos, conducted his new composition "Paladines del Espadin: and other notable compositions including a performance of the "Symphony for Band” by Paul Hindemith, Nelhybel’s "Trittico”, and Harold Pottenger' s "Suite for Band.” In 1967, the Band performed Norman Dello Joio's "Scenes from the Lourve," “Jupiter" from the "Planets" by Gustav HoIst, and Mendelssohn's "Overture for Band.”

Photo: Sawhill conducting the UCLA Wind Ensemble in 1966

The marching season of 1965 was climaxed with the UCLA Band's performance at the 1966 Rose Bowl. The game would match Michigan State against UCLA who had won the Pacific Coast Conference. The UCLA Band published an elaborate press guide that pictured all the units of the band program and individual pictures of all the bandsmen. The marching band of 1965 numbered 147 members that the press guide claimed to be the largest marching band on the west coast.

The show for the Rose Bowl on January 1, 1966 included a pre-game of "Strike up the Band, " and a script UCLA. The halftime production included a California theme and a take off on the television show, "That Was the Week that Was."

The press guide showed that the band's rehearsal schedule preceding the bowl would include a performance and tour of Disneyland and two first-run feature movies shown especially for the band during this week.

Photo: The UCLA Band celebrates Sawhill’s 60^th Birthday at the Coliseum in 1966

The literature programmed with the UCLA Bands during the last years of the sixties by Sawhill fits the pattern that he had followed throughout his years in California. The concerts would generally open with a slower composition, often a transcription. The concerts always featured student soloist and more especially ensemble groups directed by Paul Tanner, brass, and Mitchell Lurie, woodwind.

Sawhill kept true to many of his favorites. As in the past, one of the Harding transcriptions would be programmed. Also, there would generally be a Frank Erickson composition listed. However, it must be stated, that Sawhill did not shy away from the newer band pieces and met them with a challenge.

Photo: Paul Tanner, far right, with the UCLA Trombone Choir

Sawhill stated he had a difficult time with many of the more complex pieces in mixed meter, but would work hard to master the work as best as he could possibly do. He stated:

“I had trouble getting across mixed meter to the students. I was a romantic! I understood Wagner and Strauss. I would walk around the block in pulses of threes and twos and then change on every beat. I could not play or understand many of the modern techniques, but I was interested in teaching them.”

Sawhill's philosophy of teaching is based on the fact that the teacher should be well schooled with understanding of all the instruments that he is to instruct. Sawhill stated, "You can't learn enough about the instruments! You should be able to play them all and study each of them with a teacher."

Lou Hiigel stated, “I have observed him through the years at summer camps, clinics, and honor bands, as well as with his UCLA operations. Never once did I sense that he was anything less than supportive of the students with whom he was involved. He never belittled anyone publicly or privately and when serious criticism of performance or attitude was in order, he would either see the student privately or would talk to the student's position in the band and talk quietly to the problem. Dr. Sawhill maintained excellent discipline in his groups through his demonstration of respect for human and musical values, which developed a sense of reciprocal cooperation between himself and the students. His bands were full of people who performed well because they wanted to perform well, and not because of threats. The psychological principal of reward versus punishment was continuously tested in his teaching.

This sense of humanitarianism and leadership abilities seem to have been part of Sawhill's character throughout his adult life. Emory Lindquist, a classmate of Sawhill's stated, “Clarence possessed excellent leadership qualities. It was a consultative type of leadership without any attempt to dominate. He knew what was needed after consultation, convinced others of the need, shared fully in the responsibility of achieving it, and gained excellent support.

He had the ability to make people feel what they were doing together was worth doing. Although Clarence had great intensity in his efforts, he was relaxed in his relationships with people. There was nothing of a superior-person complex in his leadership. Moreover, he did not make personal progress at the expense of others.

The fine personal qualities of Clarence were the basic sources of his strength.

He was cordial, pleasant, and unusually optimistic. He was a young man of great capacity for hard work and was endowed with unusual energy. It is not possible to explain his fine collegiate and subsequent professional career without evaluating these personal resources.”

Although he was admittedly a romantic at heart, Sawhill was willing to program any style of music if he felt it offered something either musically or as a teaching piece. Sawhill stated, “I like pieces such as John Barnes Chance’s ‘Symphony,’ or Fischer Tull' s ‘Tudor Psalm’ better than some of the older numbers. I was not interested in transcriptions; however, I liked impressionistic music. Transcriptions developed facility, but the sounds were at times very bad. You were alright if you played transcriptions that nobody knew. Harding was transcribing because there was nothing published to suit that big band; he attracted the fine players in the United States by the literature he was playing.”

Sawhill became the introducer of new literature and to many the champion of works as he performed them from clinic to clinic. William Hill stated, "I have always been impressed by his dedication to band music, his championing of new works, and constant search for new literature to perform."

Marie Sawhill was quoted on her husband’s interest in band literature,

“Clarence played all of (Francis) McBeth's numbers. They are good friends, and often compared notes when they met at conferences and clinics. Clarence encouraged Clifton Williams to submit his numbers for the ABA Ostwald Competition, and played all of his numbers. He played Morton Gould's numbers, and also encouraged John Barnes Chance to submit his numbers to ABA. He encouraged Frank Erickson to begin writing for school bands, and played most of his numbers in manuscript and later publications; likewise with William Hill's manuscripts, publications, and encouragement to submit to ABA Ostwald. Clarence also played all of Roger Nixon's and Vincent Persichetti's publications.”

With his enormous amount of clinics, thereby his opinions were definitely influential in the literature performed at many of these camps and clinics. Erickson stated the numbers that were most used by Sawhill of his included, "Deep River, " "Legendary Air," "Norwegian Folk Song Suite," "Air for Band," "Scherzo for Band, " "Toccatta for Band, " "Soliquy, " "Tammerline, " and most especially, "Fantasy for Band.”

Marie Sawhill added that, "He was also very excited about the music of John Barnes Chance and carried "Variations on a Korean Folk Song" around the country in manuscript for two years, using it in clinics wherever he was working.”

Photo: Sawhill rehearsing a high school band in Guam in 1966

In 1970, the UCLA Band toured Mexico in an exchange program with the Mexican government. The tour in April of 1970 was highlighted by a concert at the Teatro Degaollado in Mexico City and was very successful. The students enjoyed their time in Mexico.

Three concerts highlighted the spring semester of 1972. The first was a performance of the UCLA Concert Band at the Western Division of the College Band Director's National Association that was held at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. At the convention, the CBDNA hosted a convention dinner honoring Sawhill.

Speeches on the life and contributions of Clarence Sawhill were given by Karl Holvik, Vice-President of CBDNA from the University of Northern Iowa, Richard Ballou, Church College of Hawaii, Harold Hines, former director at Arizona State, and Kenneth Snapp, director at Arizona State. Highlights of the concert included, "Centennial Fanfare and March" by Roger Nixon and the "Aegean Festival " by Andreas Makris.

In April, the bands of the California State Colleges at Los Angeles, Fullerton, and Long Beach, presented a combined concert in honor of Clarence Sawhill. The three directors, William Hill of Los Angeles, Benton Minor of Fullerton, and Larry G. Curtis of Long Beach were all former students of Sawhill's at UCLA.

The Band from California State at Los Angeles played “Afflatus”, which was composed for this occasion in honor of Clarence Sawhill. The program notes stated, “This composition was written for a retirement concert for Clarence E. Sawhill. It was not commissioned, but rather written as a dedication to Mr. Sawhill. AFFLATUS is defined as 1) inspiration - an impelling mental force acting from within, 2) an imparting of knowledge. Certainly this word is a fitting description of Clarence E. Sawhill, a man who has spent his life in complete dedication to the musical advancement of the youth of America. AFFLATUS is constructed on the initials C E S, becoming in musical statement C - Eb - Bb (borrowing the 's' from the French symbol 'si'.) Interwoven with the statement of these initials, done in many variations, are the three fight songs for the institutions with which Clarence Sawhill has been associated.”

Each of the bands performed separately, then they combined under the baton of Sawhill to perform, "El Capitan March" by Sousa, "Chorale and Alleluia " by Howard Hanson, "Death and Transfiguration" by Richard Strauss, the Harding arrangement, and a William Hill march, "Heritage of Freedom."

Photo: The UCLA Wind Ensemble in 1969

Sawhill's final concert as the Director of Bands at UCLA was held on May 17, 1972 in Royce Hall on the UCLA campus. The program was attended by many of his friends and former students who came to honor Sawhill.

The program that Sawhill chose was typical of his many years as director and featured several of his favorites. The band performed the "Fantasia in G Major" by Bach, arranged by Richard Franko Goldman; "Ein Heldenleben" by Strauss, the Harding arrangement, and the traditional closing march section which on this night included his favorites, "Manhattan Beach", "El Capitan" , and "Stars and Stripes Forever" all by Sousa.

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