He spent five years in Berlin, studying composition under Otis Bardwell Boise and piano under Heinrich Barth.
Collaborating with the classically-trained singer Loraine Wyman, he carried out a six-week fieldwork journey in the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky to collect traditional folk songs from the people living there.
Brockway’s own compositions include a symphony, a suite, a symphonic ballad, a piano concerto, chamber-music works, choirs, and songs.
He recorded at least 155 works for the classical catalogue, and also numerous accompaniment and popular items.
The 1921 QRS Artecho listing of reproducing piano rolls shows Brockway as recording 22 works.