Rorem, Ned

views updated

Rorem, Ned (b Richmond, Ind., 1923). Amer. composer and author. Worked in NY as copyist to Virgil Thomson. Lived in Morocco and Paris 1949–58. Studied in Fr. with Honegger, 1951–2. In 1951–5 wrote The Paris Diary of Ned Rorem, entertaining journal, pubd. 1966. Recipient of several awards and fellowships. Prof. of mus., Buffalo Univ. 1959–61, prof. of comp. Utah Univ. 1965–7. Taught at Curtis Inst. 1980–6. The influence of Poulenc is discernible in his many songs, of which he is the foremost Amer. composer. His orch. works are colourful and he sometimes uses a modified serial technique. Has written several other books, incl. Critical Affairs, A Composer's Journal (1970), and Setting the Tone (1983).

More From encyclopedia.com