He was born in
Cleveland and graduated from
Shaw High School in East Cleveland in 1930.[2] He then attended
Ohio State University, where he received a bachelor's degree in Music Education in 1934. For a few years, he taught instrumental music in
Ohio and
Kentucky public schools, but returned to Ohio State in 1937, where he taught
orchestration, applied lessons in woodwind instruments, and conducted the band. He received his MA degree in 1940.[1]
Among his many awards were an Honorary Membership in the Women Band Directors International (1974),[4] the AWAPA award of the National Band Association (1982),[5] the
American Bandmasters Association's Edwin Franko Goldman Memorial Citation (1983), the Sudler Order of Merit of the
John Philip Sousa Foundation (1990), and the American School Band Directors Association's Goldman Award (1992).[1]
In addition to his musical accomplishments he co-authored The New York Times' 1974 Crossword Puzzle Dictionary.[3]
Grundman was
gay and in a long-term relationship. After his death in 1996, Grundman's partner survived him for another sixteen years.[3] His papers and manuscripts are located in the Music and Dance Library at Ohio State.[6]
Music
Grundman composed scores for films, radio, and television, as well as orchestrations for Broadway musicals. He also wrote a few works for various chamber ensembles[3] and for full
orchestra. However, he is best known for his many compositions and arrangements for symphonic band.[1]
Many of his band pieces are rhapsodies or fantasies on folk tunes from various countries. They are often played by
American high schoolbands, especially An Irish Rhapsody, but he also used melodies from England, Finland, Japan, Norway, and Scotland.[3]
^Commissioned by the United States Marine Band, it includes three traditional tunes from colonial New England: The White Cockade, America and Yankee Doodle.
Gbur, Bruce (December 2013), "Historian's Spotlight: Two Sinfonian Composers Celebrate Centennial in 2013", The Sinfonian, LXII Issue I: 12–13
Further reading
Mark Aldrich, A Catalog of Folk Song Settings for Wind Band (Meredith Music, 2004)
William H. Rehrig, The Heritage Encyclopedia of Band Music (Westerville, OH, 1991, suppl. 1996); CD-ROM (Oskaloosa, IA, 2005), includes a selective works list
Norman E. Smith, Program Notes for Band (Lake Charles, LA, 2000), pp. 255–6