Robert Todd Duncan was born in 1903 in the southern city of Danville,Kentucky. His mother was his first music teacher. As a young man,he continued his music study in Indianapolis,Indiana. 

In 1930,he completed more musical education at Columbia University in New York City. Then he moved to Washington. For fifteen years, he taught music at Howard University in Washington. At that time, not many black musicians were known for writing or performing classical music. Teaching at Howard gave Duncan the chance to share his knowledge of classical European music with a mainly black student population. He taught special ways to present the music.These special ways became known as the Duncan Technique. 

Besides teaching,Duncan sang in several operas with performers who were all black. But it seemed that he always would be known mainly as a concert artist. However,his life took a different turn in the middle 1930s. At that time, the famous American music writer George Gershwin was looking for someone to play a leading part in his new work Porgy and Bess. The music critic of the New York Times newspaper suggested Todd Duncan. Duncan had almost decided not to try for the part as he knew it would not be easy to get it. But he changed his mind. He sang a piece from an Italian opera for Gershwin. He had sung only a few minutes when Gershwin offered him the part. He became famous because of the part in Porgy and Bess. 

Todd Duncan gained fame as an opera singer and concert artist. But his greatest love in music was teaching. When he stopped teaching at Howard,he continued giving singing lessons in his Washington home until the week before his death.
Where did Duncan teach?
Was that a college?
Where?
What race were most of the students?
What subject did he teach?
What kind did he specialize in?
Was there a lot of black that were into this at the time?
Where was he born?
When?
Who began his music education?
When did he study in Indianapolis?
Where did he go for college?
What kind of singer was he?
What famous musical was he a part of?
Who wrote that?
Why did he almost not try out?
What kind of work did he chose for his audition song?
What job did he love the most?
Was he still teaching when he died?
Howard
 Teaching at Howard gave Duncan the chance to share his knowledge
Yes
 For fifteen years, he taught music at Howard University in Washington.
Washington
Howard University in Washington
Mainly black.
 Teaching at Howard gave Duncan the chance to share his knowledge of classical European music with a mainly black student population
Music.
For fifteen years, he taught music at Howard
Classical European music
Teaching at Howard gave Duncan the chance to share his knowledge of classical European music
No
not many black musicians were known for writing or performing classical music.
Danville,Kentucky.
Robert Todd Duncan was born in 1903 in the southern city of Danville,Kentucky.
1903
Robert Todd Duncan was born in 1903
His mother.
His mother was his first music teacher
As a young man.
As a young man,he continued his music study in Indianapolis,Indiana. 
Columbia University
In 1930,he completed more musical education at Columbia University in New York City
opera
Duncan sang in several operas with performers
Porgy and Bess
At that time, the famous American music writer George Gershwin was looking for someone to play a leading part in his new work Porgy and Bess
George Gershwin
At that time, the famous American music writer George Gershwin was looking for someone to play a leading part in his new work Porgy and Bess
He knew it would not be easy to get it.
 Duncan had almost decided not to try for the part as he knew it would not be easy to get it.
A piece from an Italian opera for Gershwin.
 He sang a piece from an Italian opera for Gershwin.
Teaching.
But his greatest love in music was teaching.
Until the week before.
When he stopped teaching at Howard,he continued giving singing lessons in his Washington home until the week before his death.