Dates

• Existence: 1921-2002

Biographical Statement

Born a Texan on January 20, 1921 in the small town of Marlin, Goode grew up in a family that produced a long line of teachers. His home was one that put books and music to good use. During his formative years he studied piano and clarinet. During his younger years he also made his first compositions.

Goode graduated from Baylor University in 1942 after studying organ and composition. Any further study was interrupted by a several year stint in the United States Army Air Corp. In 1946 Goode restarted his academic studies, for one semester at Tulsa University with Bela Rozsa and then was off to the American Conservatory to study composition under Leo Sowerby. In that same year he was married to Gertrude Ahrendt. He received his Masters of Music in 1947. In 1957 Goode was able to spend a summer in study in Berlin at the Hochschule fur Musik, studying with Ernst Pepping and Joseph Ahrens. He was able to return again in 1960. In 1964 his studies continued in Paris with Mlle. Marie-Claire Alain and in Hamburg with Heinz Wunderlich.

After completing his studies Goode continued his career in composition, teaching and performing. He taught at Northwestern University, Wheaton College and the American Conservatory of Music, along with taking on organ and composition students privately. He was a frequent judge at organ competitions in Chicago and elsewhere.

Goode was the author of numerous compositions, including hymn tunes. He career is reflected in the simple choral and organ pieces he wrote as well as more difficult works for strings.

In 1960 he won the Best Hymn Tune (open division) from the National Church Music Fellowship with How Firm a Foundation. This was also his first published piece. He later went on to publish numerous pieces for organ including Magnificat and Fancy for the Trumpet Stop. He composed anthems like Worthy of Your Calling, On His Might and Count It All Joy. Along with these works of composition, Goode also wrote several texts, his earliest being Pipe Organ Registration (1964), later translated into Japanese. Almost as a culmination of his career as an educator, late in life Goode published two volumes of New Songs for New Singers that helped teach beginning singers.

Goode also had several composition works published including Rondino (for alto sax), Nine Introits (SATB), Born of a King (Cantata), Christ is Nigh (SATB, organ) and Piano Hymns for the Liturgical Year. His String Quartet No. 1 won first prize from Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Along with his teaching and composition career, Jack Goode served as organist and choirmaster of the First Baptist Church in Evanston, Illinois, a position he began in 1952. In 1963 his wife Gertrude died suddenly and in 1965 he married Ruth Hendry. The same year he left his teaching position at Wheaton College and taught part-time at the American Conservatory of Music.

Goode died in January 10, 2002 in Evanston, Illinois.

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