Karl F. Miller

In 1978 I graduated from the University of North Texas with a doctorate in music. From 1978 to 1983 I taught composition and served as director of the Computer Music Studios and conductor of the New Music Ensemble at the University of Arizona. Not wanting to spend the rest of my life composing music that no one wanted to hear, and grading an endless number of orchestration papers, being an obsessive record collector, I was lucky to find a job as the first curator of the Historical Music Recordings Collection at the University of Texas at Austin. During my 28 years at the University, I also taught courses in Film Music, Audio Preservation and Restoration, and a seminar “The Koussevitzky Copland Connection and the American Symphonic Tradition.”

I also have experience as a recording engineer and producer and as the owner of the record label Pierian. My producing credits include a recent recording of the three piano concertos by Alberto Ginastera featuring the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra; Kenneth Kiesler, conductor; and pianist Barbara Nissman. I serve on the boards of the Koussevitzky Recordings Society, Music & Arts (a record label devoted to historic performances of classical music), and am president of the Board of the Classical Artists Development Foundation.

For almost 20 years, I devoted most of my weekends to classical radio, producing many hours of broadcasts devoted to less-familiar repertoire. Over the years I have written articles and reviews for several journals including: Symphony magazine; Notes, the Journal of the Music Library Association; ARSC Journal, and the American Record Guide.

In retirement, I spend the bulk of my time listening to music, restoring old recordings, and reading. From time to time my wife Sandra forces me to get out of the house for a trip. I used to find some value to travelling when there were record stores to explore. But since there are so few record stores these days, I would rather stay at home!

As a collector, my interests revolve around obscure orchestra repertoire written since 1900 (American music in particular), both commercial and broadcast recordings, and anything Koussevitzky, Munch, and Mitropoulos.