Another of the Wa-Wan press composers, Frederic Ayres (1876-1926) was born in Binghamton, NY, and studied engineering at Cornell University before turning to composition under the tutelage of Arthur Foote. Afterward, Ayres spent most of his career in the Colorado Springs area, composing and teaching music theory. As with many of his Wa-Wan counterparts, Ayres drew inspiration from the music and culture of Native Americans, but also looked to Shakespeare and folk tales as sources for his songs.
A number of Ayres’s compositions have been digitized under Sibley’s current project, including his sonata for violin and piano, op. 15.
