“The MacDowell Colony, a prestigious artists’ residency program in New Hampshire, has awarded its 2015 lifetime achievement medal to Gunther Schuller, a composer and educator who has worked to bridge the gap between classical and jazz music,” writes Andrew Chow in Monday’s (4/6) New York Times. “Schuller, 89, played with Miles Davis and the American Ballet Theater alike. He was awarded the 1994 Pulitzer Prize for his composition ‘Of Reminiscences and Reflections,’ written for the Louisville Orchestra. ‘As a composer and teacher he has inspired generations of students, setting an example of discovery and experimentation,’ said Augusta Read Thomas, the chair of the selection committee for the award, in a statement. The ceremony will take place on August 9. Previous recipients of the award include Georgia O’Keeffe, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim.” Professionally trained as a French hornist, Schuller played for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra before turning exclusively to composition, teaching, and writing. From 1967 to 1977 Schuller served as president of New England Conservatory, and later founded NEC’s Third Stream department.
Posted April 7, 2015
