Sessions, Roger (Huntington) (b Brooklyn, NY, 1896; d Princeton, NJ, 1985). Amer. composer and teacher. Began mus. studies early and wrote opera at age of 13. Mus. faculty Smith Coll., Northampton, Mass., 1917–21, studying privately with Bloch. Became ass. to Bloch at Cleveland Inst. of Mus., 1921–5. Lived in Florence, Rome, Berlin 1927–33. His first sym. (1927) perf. Boston 1927 and at ISCM Fest., Geneva, 1929. Taught Boston Univ. 1933–5, Princeton Univ. 1935–45; prof. of mus., Univ. of Calif., Berkeley, 1945–51; prof. of mus., Princeton, 1953–65. Taught at Juilliard Sch. 1965–85. Pupils incl. Babbitt, Imbrie, and Diamond. Sessions's mus. has been described as ‘constructively eclectic’, drawing on the chief 20th-cent. influences but retaining a serious individual stamp. Author of several books, and tireless champion of contemporary mus. Prin. works:

OPERAS: Lancelot and Elaine (1910); The Trial of Lucullus (1947); Montezuma (1941–63).ORCH.: syms.: No.1 (1927), No.2 (1944–6), No.3 (1957), No.4 (1958), No.5 (1964), No.6 (1966), No.7 (1967), No.8 (1968), No.9 (1975–8); vn. conc. (1930–5, with orch. without vns. and with 5 cl.); Idyll of Theocritus, sop., orch. (1953–4); pf. conc. (1956); Divertimento (1959–60); Rhapsody (1970); conc. for vn., vc., and orch. (1971); Concertino (1972); Concerto for Orchestra (1979–81).CHAMBER MUSIC: str. qts.: No.1 (1936), No.2 (1951); 3 vn. sonatas (1916, 1953, 1981 (unfinished)); pf. trio (1916); solo vn. sonata (1953); str. quintet (1957–8); 6 Pieces for vc. (1966); Canons, str. qt. (1971).CHORAL: Turn, O Libertad, ch. and 2 pf. or orch. (1944); Mass (1955); When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd, soloists, ch., orch. (1964–70).PIANO: 3 sonatas (1927–30, 1946, 1964–5); From my Diary (1937–9); 5 Pieces (1975); Waltz (1977–8).