Norman Leyden, in over 60 years as a professional musician, has conducted, arranged, composed and played music of every kind in both the classical and popular fields. A graduate of Yale University in 1938, he later earned master’s and doctoral degrees at Columbia University, where he also taught for several years.

Leyden’s first professional work was as bass clarinetist with the New Haven Symphony during his college days. After graduation he spent five years in military service, during which he conducted the Army Air Force show “Winged Victory” and served as arranger with Major Glenn Miller’s famous Air Force Band in England and France. When the Glenn Miller Orchestra was reorganized in 1946 under Tex Beneke, Leyden became chief arranger for the group until 1949, when he left to enter the freelance arranging field in New York. Subsequently, as a staff conductor for RCA Victor, he composed and arranged music for many children’s albums, including Walt Disney’s “Cinderella,” “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” and “Alice in Wonderland.” In the popular music field, he conducted and arranged for many well-known artists including Mitch Miller, Gordon MacRae, Ezio Pinza, Frank Sinatra, Don Cornell, Tony Bennett and Sarah Vaughan. From 1956 to 1959 he was musical director for Arthur Godfrey.

In 1970, after completing work on his doctorate (his dissertation was a study of the famous conductor Arturo Toscanini), Leyden began his long-standing tenure with the Oregon Symphony.

Throughout the years Leyden has continued to work as an arranger. In fact, Leyden’s library currently holds over 1,200 symphonic arrangements, plus more than 300 Big-Band arrangements and many choral arrangements of music from Broadway shows. Leyden’s continuing work as an arranger is complemented by the assistance of his wife Alice, who has served as copyist and librarian, and their daughter Connie, also a copyist.

Regarded today as one of the foremost authorities on big band music of the swing era, Leyden frequently presents authentically styled programs and advises other orchestras here and abroad on the Big-Band sound. In 1993 Leyden received Oregon’s Governor’s Arts Award, which recognizes leadership and excellence in the arts. A PBS special Glenn Miller program featuring Leyden and the U.S. Air Force Academy Falconaires made its debut on national television in August of 2000.

A dedicated musician, Norman Leyden makes time in his busy schedule to practice the clarinet every day and often adds extra sizzle to his pops and big band programs by performing. Paul Hertelendy of the San Jose Mercury News perhaps described Leyden best when he wrote: “Leyden is a triple threat on the podium: conductor, arranger, and one of those marvelous jazz clarinetists who can bend backward into a perfect C while hitting a few good licks.”