Strouse, Charles (Louis)

views updated

Strouse, Charles (Louis)

Strouse, Charles (Louis), American composer; b. N.Y., June 7, 1928. He studied at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., and later took private lessons in composition with Copland and Boulanger, under whose guidance he wrote some ambitious instrumental music. He was mainly active as a composer for Broadway and films; with the lyricist Lee Adams (b. Mansfield, Ohio, Aug. 14, 1924), he wrote the musicals Bye Bye Birdie (N.Y., April 16, 1960) and Applause (N.Y., March 30, 1970), both of which won Tony awards. His other musicals include Golden Boy (N.Y., Oct. 20, 1964), after a play by Clifford Odets, and Annie (N.Y., April 21, 1977). He also composed a Piano Concerto and other orch. pieces and a String Quartet.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire