Frederick C . Tillis Frederick Charles Tillis , PhD ( born January 5 , 1930 ) , is an American composer , jazz saxophonist , poet , and music educator at the collegiate level . Early life . Growing up . Born in Galveston , Texas on January 5 , 1930 , Frederick Tillis was raised by his mother , Zelma Bernice Gardner , " " Tillis ( 1913 – 2004 ) , and his stepfather , General Gardner , and his maternal grandparents , Willie Tillis and Jessie Tillis - Hubbard ( 1893 – 1979 ) . His first musical experiences were courtesy of his mother , who played piano and sang to him as a child . Later , at George Washington Carver Elementary School , Tillis decided to join the school ' s drum and bugle corps . As he became more proficient on trumpet , Tillis found his first professional job as a musician in jazz bands when he was twelve years old , earning him the nickname " Baby Tillis " . Tillis ' band director at Central Side High School , Fleming S . Huff , suggested that he start playing the saxophone . Post secondary education . In 1946 , Tillis was accepted at Wiley College on a music scholarship , and thus became the first person in his family to receive a college education . He graduated from Wiley in 1949 with a B . A . in music , accepting the position of college band director there almost immediately . He also married fellow Wiley music major Louise at this time . They moved from Texas in 1951 so that Tillis could attend the University of Iowa for graduate music studies . At this time , he also decided to volunteer in the United States Air Force at the outbreak of the Korean War , and became director of the 356th Air Force Band . He later went back to get his PhD under the GI Bill at University of North Texas College of Music , but then returned to the University of Iowa to finish his doctoral studies . Career as educator and composer . Completing his PhD in 1963 , Tillis then held a succession of academic positions at Wiley College , Grambling College , and Kentucky State University . In 1970 , Randolph Bromery recruited Tillis to the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Amherst , and he and his family moved to Massachusetts . Joining the faculty as an associate professor of music , Tillis eventually held many faculty and administrative positions during his tenure at the University of Massachusetts . He retired in 1997 , but still holds the title of Professor Emeritus in the Department of Music and Dance . Tillis serves as Director Emeritus of the University Fine Arts Center and Director of the Jazz in July Workshops in Improvisation at the University of Massachusetts Amherst . Tillis had been writing music since the age of twenty , and was influenced by Schoenberg , Bach , Prokofiev , Mussorgsky , African - American composers , and world music . Some of Tillis ' more notable compositions include " A Symphony of Songs " , a choral / orchestral work based on poems by Wallace Stevens and commissioned by The Hartford Chorale , Inc . ( 1999 ) ; " A Festival Journey " ( 1992 ) , and " Ring Shout Concerto " ( 1974 ) , for percussion , written for Max Roach ; and " Concerto for Piano " ( Jazz Trio ) and symphony orchestra ( 1983 ) written for Billy Taylor . Tillis has also written several books of poetry , as well as the textbook " Jazz Theory and Improvisation " .