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A MAJOR AMERICAN COMPOSER HAS DIED, AT 66
February 15, 2016 by norman lebrecht
The death has been announced of Steven Stucky, one of the most successful and widely performed US composers of his time. Steven died at his home in Ithaca, NY, on Sunday.
He won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in Music for his Second Concerto for Orchestra and received commissions from many US orchestra. As resident composer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 21 years he played a considerable role in shaping West Coast taste to moderate modernism.
As a scholar, he was a leading authority on the life and music of Witold Lutoslawski.
UPDATE: Family members have reported that he died of brain cancer, peacefully in his sleep. Our shocked sympathies to the Stucky family.
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Randy Russell
I remember Steven as one of the smartest and most talented people in our class. While in high school he wrote music that was performed by the TCU orchestra. In the early 1970s he was the conductor of the St. Louis Symphony. At the time that we were in chemistry or physics classes he would sit and compose music for several instruments and still keep up with the teacher. He also never let his smarts get in the way of being a really good person. He will be greatly missed.
Randy Pat Russell
Class of 1967
Mike Burt
A great loss to the music world! Steve was so talented, smart, nice, funny, and fun to be around.
James M. "Bo" Pearson
So sad to hear of Steve's passing; such a significant loss not only to the world of music and creativity, and of course his family, but a loss of a genuinely gifted individual. I recall Steve's "smarts" in High School, but also having a sense of wit...but always someone that I stood in sorta awe of because of his God-given gifts. RIP Steve, and we thank you for using the special gifts you were provided to make the world better because of you being in it.
Colburn Dick
Can't add anything to what Bo said.
R.I.P. friend.
Candy Lloyd (Gates)
The one thing I remember about Steven is the music he composed for our Graduation in 67. He was a great musician. We as a class were very blessed to have known him. God bless his family.
Susan Harwell
I am shocked to see this. Thanks to social media, I was able to follow his story through FB. Along with being true progressive and humanitarian he was a musical genius. I remember being a part of the performance of a magnificent piece that Steven had written in high school. The Cooper Concert Choir and the Cooper Orchestra performed. I have a copy of this on tape. To this day it amazes me that he wrote at that level of sophistication and maturity at that early time in his life. What a great loss. Thoughts of comfort go out to his family.
Johnny Fare
I first met Steven through our participation in school orchestra in 7th grade, and we became fast friends, BFFs before that was a label. Over half of a century we kept in touch, as his career took him to New York, and mine to California. I visited him and his family several times in Ithaca, and for the long period he was connected to the LA Philharmonic, my wife and I often saw him when he was in town.
I last saw him in 2014 when he was here to give the West Coast premier of his opera at the Ojai Festival. We had a great time, and I also got to meet his new wife Kristen. He was always the same guy I met in 1961, rapier smart, with a wicked sense of humor, and supportive and caring of all his friends. His many friends at Cooper and the education and opportunities there were a big part of the foundation of his life. He was a great friend, with a treasure trove of accomplishments, two great kids and a loving wife, hundreds of friends across the world, a great legacy of students from his teaching, and now gone way too soon, leaving so much undone. He will remain in our hearts and minds forever.
Karen Vannoy
I was also shocked to see this news, but so happy to read about all Steven's accomplishments. I remember him well, but had no idea of his musical genius.