11 Facts About Olly Wilson

Olly Wilson was one of the most preeminent composers of African American descent in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.

Olly Wilson is known for developing a list of Heterogenous Sound Ideals that is widely used to dissect different aspects of music, with an emphasis on African culture.

Olly Wilson is known for establishing the TIMARA program at Oberlin Conservatory, the first-ever conservatory program in electronic music.

Olly Wilson taught at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

Olly Wilson was an emeritus professor of music at the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught from 1970 to 2002 when he retired.

Olly Wilson served as the chairman of that university's music department between 1993 and 1997.

Olly Wilson was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Symphony and New York Philharmonic.

Olly Wilson was commissioned by the 1979 International Contemporary Organ Music Festival at the Hartt School of Music for his organ work Expansions, which was premiered at the festival by Donald Sutherland.

Olly Wilson's music has been recorded on the Columbia, CRI, Desto, Turnabout, and New World labels.

Olly Wilson died March 12,2018, in Berkeley, California at the age of 80.

Olly Wilson contributed to the study of African and American music by defining heterogeneous sound ideals that involve common themes in traditional African music: such as use of aspects of sound, usage of physical body movement in music making, and introspection of listeners.