A flautist for Sousa and then in the New York Philharmonic, in 1929 Meredith Willson started work as a musical director in radio in San Francisco, later serving as a conductor and composer for NBC radio.
Film, Stage and Concert Music
Willson wrote music for the films The Great Dictator and The Little Foxes, and provided music, book and lyrics for a number of successful Broadway shows. His other compositions include two symphonies depicting elements of life in California.