Sometimes it is easy to discern in which direction talent will lead; in the case of Gordon Binkerd, a twisting and convoluted path led him to his career as an eminent American composer in the 20th century. It was not until his advanced studies in musicology, following military service in World War II, that Binkerd's compositional gifts began to mature. Most significant during this time was the fact that, as a pianist, he abandoned composing at the piano. Biographer David Saladino states that this factor accounted "for the organic musical forms that shaped his unique American voice."

Binkerd wrote copiously in every classical medium with the exception of opera and left behind an impressive repertoire including symphonies, string quartets, sonatas for wind and string instruments, choral and vocal music, and a large body of chamber music, all released by Boosey & Hawkes from 1965 forward. His many honors included a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1959, and an award from the National Institute of Arts and Letters in 1964; his commissions included the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the McKim Fund of the Library of Congress, and the Ford and Fromm Foundations. After academic retirement, Binkerd devoted himself exclusively to composing until the tragic onset of Alzheimer's Disease in 1996. Gordon Binkerd died on September 5, 2003, at the age of 87.

Article includes material provided by Mr. Binkerd's biographer, David Saladino.