American pianist and composer Richard Hundley, Died at 86

  Music, Writer

Richard Albert Hundley was born on September 1, 1931 and died on February 26, 2018.

He was an American pianist and composer of art songs for voice and piano.

He relocated to New York City in 1950 and enrolled in the Manhattan School of Music but dropped out shortly after.

Richard was selected for the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, in 1960.

Before he sang he learned to sing ten operas in four different languages.

He shared his original songs with a few of the singers at the Metropolitan.

Because of his actions, Anneliese Rothenberger, Rosalind Elias, Anna Moffo, Teresa Stratas, Lili Chookasian, John Reardon, and Betty Allen began performing his songs on stage.

During 1962 when soprano Eileen DiTullio sang two of his songs, Softly the Summer and Spring, in a concert at The Town Hall in New York City.

Paul Kapp, Director of the General Music Publishing Company, he had a meeting with Hundley to discuss publishing the two compositions.

The General Music Publishing Company published seven of Hundley’s songs, from 1962 to 1964.

The American art song specialist, Paul Sperry began performing and advocating Hundley’s music in the late 1960s.

During 1982 the International American Music Competition included his “Eight Songs” set in its repertoire list.

The 1983 and 1984 Newport Music Festivals also performed his work.

Duing 1987, Hundley was declared one of the standard American composers for vocalists by the International American Music Competition.

He died at 86 years old.