Hughes-Neilson music collection

1934-1980

Kenneth P. Neilson is an educator, artist, composer and author. For nearly thirty years he worked for the New York City public school system as a teacher and supervisor. In 1977 he founded All Seasons Art, a multimedia production center which seeks to gain exposure for developing African American and Hispanic artists through a series of exhibitions, publications, concerts and theatrical productions. It also works to develop audience appreciation for the visual, literary and musical arts through special programs devoted to the life and work of well known artists. In 1984 All Seasons Art, in cooperation with the Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center, sponsored a special program entitled "The World of Langston Hughes Music: A Concert of Poems and Musical Settings.". The Hughes-Neilson Music Collection consists of musical settings of the poetry and lyrics of Langston Hughes. Composers represented include David Amram, Leonard Bernstein, W.C. Handy, Hall Johnson, Elie Siegmeister, Hale Smith, Howard Swanson, Kurt Weill, and donor Kenneth P. Neilson. Printed music is composed of song sheets, operatic scores, and anthologies. Included is a copy of singer Rawn Spearman's dissertation, "A Study and Selected Musical Settings for Solo Voice and Piano of the Poetry of Langston Hughes" (1973), and a comprehensive listing of the musical settings of Hughes' works compiled by Neilson, entitled "The World of Langston Hughes' Music" (1982).