The choral music of William Allen

A major concern for directors of high school, collegiate, and professional choruses is constantly finding new literature. One purpose of this study is to introduce choral conductors to a new source of valuable choral music and acquaint the choral community with a talented, deserving, and heretofore unpublished twentieth-century American composer. Promoting new music is often the responsibility of the performer or conductor; consequently, the growth and development of new composers is highly dependent upon the active involvement and encouragement of performing musicians. In comparison to some European countries, American performances are especially important since American music receives a large portion of its support from sources other than the government.