b. 1913-1975

John Duncan received the B.M. and M.M. from Temple University and studied further at New York University. He was an arranger for jazz groups in Philadelphia. Duncan was on the faculty at Samuel Huston College and Alabama State University, 1939 - 1975. He wrote many compositions, although few were published, but many were performed on university campuses throughout the South. Among his compositions were: "Three Proclamations for Trombone and String Quartet," "Concert for Trombone and Orchestra," "Atavistic for String Quartet," "Gideon and Eliza," "An Easter Canticle," and others.

Source: Perkins Holly, Ellistine. Biographies of Black Composers and Songwriters; A Supplementary Textbook. Iowa:Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1990.