Robert M. Cundick

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Robert M. Cundick, March 2010

Robert Milton Cundick Sr. (November 26, 1926 – January 7, 2016) was a

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). This included accompanying the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and playing organ solos on the weekly broadcast, Music & the Spoken Word.[1] Cundick served in World War II and enrolled at the University of Utah where he received his BFA, MFA, and PhD. He joined the music faculty at Brigham Young University
(BYU) in 1957 but his work there was interrupted due to various callings by LDS Church leaders. After his retirement, Cundick continued to contribute to music in the LDS Church. In his personal life, he married his organ student Charlotte Clark while he was a student at the University of Utah. He died in 2016 at the age of 89.

Early life

Cundick was born in

Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1926. He spent his childhood in Sandy, Utah. His parents, Milton and Florence Pierson Cundick, were both faithful and devoted members of the LDS Church, and the standards of the church were a major influence on his life. His interest in music began early in life as he played in bands and orchestras, as well as serving as the organist for weekly church services (by age 12 he had become organist for his congregation). As his organ skills progressed, he became a student of Mormon Tabernacle Organist Alexander Schreiner
.

Young Adulthood

After serving in the

G.I. Bill of Rights
. Cundick worked to pay for his education, and received his BFA, MFA, and eventual PhD in Music Composition from the university. He studied under the tutelage of internationally famous composer Leroy J. Robertson.

It was during his time as a university student that Cundick married his wife, Charlotte (Cholly) Clark. Clark was an organ student of Cundick’s. The couple made their home in Salt Lake City, where Cundick was able to continue his university studies.

Life Experiences

Cundick joined the music faculty at BYU in 1957.

In 1962,

St. Paul's Cathedral and King's College, Cambridge
, in addition to a BBC broadcast and his daily recitals at Hyde Park Chapel.

After completing this two-year mission, Cundick and his family returned to Provo, Utah, where he resumed his teaching and compositional activity at BYU. This was interrupted when Cundick was called to serve as an organist at the Salt Lake Tabernacle, located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. He served for 27 years.

Following his retirement in 1991, Cundick and his wife were called to serve as Directors of Hosting at the BYU Jerusalem Center in Jerusalem.

After his retirement as Tabernacle Organist, Cundick sought to publicize serious works of Utah and Mormon composers. In 2004 he won the lifetime achievement

Pearl Award
. Cundick continued to devote much of his time to composition and other music related activities, always making time to serve those around him. In 2007 he released a CD containing compositions from over 50 years of his creativity. Cundick died January 7, 2016.[2]

Compositions

The

BYU-Idaho choirs and orchestras.[6]

Notes

  1. ^ "Organist and composer Robert M. Cundick, one of the 'most important and influential Latter-day Saint musicians,' dies". Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Former Tabernacle Organist Robert Cundick Passes Away".
  3. ^ R. Scott Lloyd, "'The Redeemer' performed for Easter", Church News, March 28, 2008.
  4. ^ American Poems listing of works by Cundick
  5. ^ 'Performance Tours - BYU Idaho'
  6. ^ Marianne Holman, "New sacred music", Church News, October 31, 2009.

Sources

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