October 27, 1912:
Samuel Conlon Nancarrow is born in his parents’ home at the corner of Beech and 20th Streets (no longer standing) in Texarkana, Arkansas, USA first of two children born to Samuel Charles Nancarrow, the manager of a barrel factory for Standard Oil, and Myra Brady.
May 1, 1932:
Conlon Nancarrow (19) marries Helen Rigby, a student at Cincinnati Conservatory, in Kenton County, Kentucky.
September 1, 1935:
In Boston, Conlon Nancarrow (22) separates from Helen Rigby, his wife of three years.
July 6, 1937:
Spanish Civil War: Forces loyal to the constitutional government of Spain drive south from Madrid and advance eight kilometers, capturing Brunete. Among those fighting for the republic is Conlon Nancarrow (24).
March 5, 1940:
Helen Nancarrow receives a divorce from Conlon Nancarrow (27) in Houston. She filed for divorce after losing all contact with him as he fought in the Spanish Civil War.
April 21, 1940:
Septet for clarinet, alto-saxophone, bassoon, violin, viola, double bass, and piano by Conlon Nancarrow (27) is performed for the first time, in New York.
November 29, 1943:
The Veterans of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade write to Conlon Nancarrow (31), “This will verify the fact that Sr. Conlon Nancarrow was a member of the Abraham Lincoln Battalion of the International Brigade and fought in Spain during 1937-1938.” (Hocker, 70)
February 4, 1947:
Conlon Nancarrow (34) marries his second wife, Annette Margolis, daughter of an importer and salesman, at City Hall in Manhattan. They will separate after three years. She has three children by two previous marriages.
June 19, 1947:
Aaron Copland (46) and Elliott Carter (38) meet with Conlon Nancarrow (34) in Mexico City. During the stay of Carter and his wife, Copland will also take them to El Salón Mexico.
November 18, 1951:
Sonatina for piano by Conlon Nancarrow (39) is performed for the first time, at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
July 22, 1953:
Conlon Nancarrow (40) and his second wife Annette Margolis are divorced.
October 9, 1953:
Two years after applying for Mexican citizenship, Conlon Nancarrow (40) is stripped of his US citizenship.
November 3, 1955:
Conlon Nancarrow (43) is granted Mexican citizenship.
August 19, 1960:
Crises, a dance by Merce Cunningham on the first six player piano studies of Conlon Nancarrow (47), is performed for the first time, in New London, Connecticut.
July 30, 1962:
The first public performance of several of the Studies for Player Piano by Conlon Nancarrow (49) takes place in the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City. They are studies 1-4, 10-19, and 21.
May 30, 1964:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.24 by Conlon Nancarrow (51) takes place in Ojai, California.
July 31, 1964:
Merce Cunningham’s dance Cross Currents, with music by Conlon Nancarrow (51), is premiered in Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London.
March 2, 1971:
Conlon Nancarrow (58) marries his third wife, Yoko Sugiura Yamamoto, in Mexico City. She is a language teacher, the daughter of a businessman. Her parents will disinherit her due to this marriage.
May 15, 1976:
The first public performance of Studies for Player Piano nos.27, 35, 36, 40 by Conlon Nancarrow (63) takes place in Bremen.
January 24, 1980:
Toccata for piano and violin by Conlon Nancarrow (67) is performed for the first time, in Berlin.
May 12, 1980:
Study for Player Piano no.39, renumbered as no.48, by Conlon Nancarrow (67) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Radio Bremen.
June 7, 1981:
Conlon Nancarrow (68) travels to San Francisco for the new music festival. It is his first trip to the United States in 32 years.
November 2, 1981:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.42 by Conlon Nancarrow (69) takes place in Los Angeles.
December 22, 1981:
Conlon Nancarrow (69) is awarded the American Music Center’s Letter is Distinction. It is accepted in his absence.
March 4, 1982:
String Quartet no.1 by Conlon Nancarrow (69) is performed for the first time, over the airwaves of Radio Bremen, about 35 years after it was composed. See 21 May 1982.
May 21, 1982:
String Quartet no.1 by Conlon Nancarrow (69) is performed for the first time before a live audience, in Saarbrücken. See 4 March 1982.
October 31, 1982:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.37 by Conlon Nancarrow (70) takes place in Graz.
December 6, 1982:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.44 by Conlon Nancarrow (70) takes place in Los Angeles.
January 30, 1984:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.45 “Betty Freeman Suite” by Conlon Nancarrow (71) takes place in Los Angeles.
September 25, 1984:
Two new works for piano are premiered at the ISCM World Music Days in Toronto: Tango? by Conlon Nancarrow (71), and Tango si by Betsy Jolas (58).
June 8, 1985:
The first movement of the Trio for clarinet, bassoon, and piano by Conlon Nancarrow (72) is performed for the first time, in London 43 years after it was composed.
April 19, 1986:
Piece for Small Orchestra no.2 by Conlon Nancarrow (73) is performed for the first time, in Lincoln Center, New York.
June 28, 1987:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.23 by Conlon Nancarrow (74) takes place in Amsterdam.
October 15, 1988:
String Quartet no.3 by Conlon Nancarrow (75) is performed for the first time, in Cologne, along with the premiere of Nancarrow’s Study for Player Piano no.29.
October 17, 1988:
For Ligeti for player piano by Conlon Nancarrow (75) is performed for the first time, in a 65th birthday tribute to György Ligeti in the Hamburgische Staatsoper.
October 18, 1988:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.6 by Conlon Nancarrow (75) takes place in Hannover.
October 20, 1988:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.31 by Conlon Nancarrow (75) takes place in the Kongresshalle, Berlin.
November 11, 1989:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.26 by Conlon Nancarrow (77) takes place in New York.
November 20, 1989:
Canons for Ursula for piano by Conlon Nancarrow (77) is performed for the first time, in Town Hall, New York.
January 16, 1990:
Conlon Nancarrow (77) suffers what is perhaps a small stroke in his home in Mexico City. He will be in bed for a week. He will then be hospitalized.
February 8, 1990:
After being sent home from the hospital, Conlon Nancarrow (77) is admitted to intensive care in Mexico City. He will remain there, apparently near death, for twelve days.
February 26, 1990:
After surviving bronchial pneumonia and a kidney deficiency, Conlon Nancarrow (77) is discharged from the hospital and returns to his home in Mexico City.
June 29, 1991:
The first two of the Three Two-Part Studies for piano by Conlon Nancarrow (78) is performed for the first time, in the foyer of the Philharmonie, Cologne, over 50 years after they were composed.
October 21, 1991:
Para Yoko for player piano by Conlon Nancarrow (78) is performed for the first time, in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris.
October 26, 1991:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.46 by Conlon Nancarrow takes place in Boulogne-Billancourt, near Paris, on the eve of the composer’s 79th birthday.
November 23, 1991:
Trio no.2 for oboe, bassoon, and piano by Conlon Nancarrow (79) is performed for the first time, in Lincoln Center, New York.
November 4, 1993:
Contraption no.1 for computer-driven prepared piano by Conlon Nancarrow (81) is performed for the first time, in San Francisco.
October 14, 1994:
Study for two synchronized player pianos by Conlon Nancarrow (81) is performed for the first time, in Donaueschingen.
October 15, 1994:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.49 by Conlon Nancarrow (81) takes place in Donaueschingen.
March 20, 1995:
Canons for one and two player pianos by Conlon Nancarrow (82) is performed for the first time, at Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Cologne.
April 23, 1995:
Study for orchestra by Conlon Nancarrow (82) is performed for the first time, in the Juilliard Theatre, New York.
June 3, 1997:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.30 by Conlon Nancarrow (84) takes place in Cologne.
August 10, 1997:
Samuel Conlon Nancarrow dies in Mexico City, aged 84 years, nine months, and 14 days.
November 14, 1997:
Piece for Tape by Conlon Nancarrow (†0) is performed for the first time, in Basel.
June 21, 1998:
The first public performance of Study for Player Piano no.47 by Conlon Nancarrow (†0) takes place in Essen.
July 26, 1999:
Three Movements for Chamber Orchestra by Conlon Nancarrow (†1) is performed completely for the first time, in Aldeburgh.
November 12, 2004:
Suite for orchestra by Conlon Nancarrow (†7) is performed for the first time, in Cologne, about 60 years after it was composed.