Steven Stucky

Pulitzer Prize-winning classical composer

What is Steven Stucky known for?

Steven Edward Stucky (November 7, 1949 – February 14, 2016) was a world-renowned American composer hailing from Hutchinson, Kansas. His family moved to Abilene, Texas, when he was 9, and it was here, as a teenager, that he began his journey towards becoming a musical prodigy. He attended Cooper High School in Abilene, Texas, studying music in the public schools and gaining private tutelage in viola, conducting, and composition.

Stucky's musical prowess took him to notable institutions like Baylor University and Cornell University, where he had the privilege to work with esteemed musicians like Karel Husa and Daniel Sternberg. His dedication and phenomenal talent enabled him to write commissioned works for many major American orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, to name a few. His long-standing affiliation with the Los Angeles Philharmonic is especially noteworthy—it lasted from 1988 to 2009, making it the longest such affiliation in American orchestral history. His service to music extended to the New York Philharmonic's Hear & Now series (2005–2009) and the Pittsburgh Symphony (2011–12 season), where he served as Composer of the Year.

Stucky's contributions extended beyond orchestrations. He composed "Silent Spring" for Pittsburgh in honor of the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson's influential book of the same title. He also collaborated with pianist and author Jeremy Denk to create his first opera, "The Classical Style," based on Charles Rosen's celebrated book. This opera had its premiere in June 2014 at the Ojai Music Festival. Other noteworthy compositions by Stucky include the symphonic poem "Radical Light" (2007), "Rhapsodies for Orchestra" (2008), the oratorio "August 4, 1964" (2008), a Symphony (2012), and his "Second Concerto for Orchestra" (2003), which won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Stucky also emerged as an expert on the Polish composer Witold Lutosławski, authoring a study about Lutoslawski and his music in 1981. He balanced his composing career with a successful tenure in academia, serving as the Given Foundation Professor of Composition at Cornell University. There he established Ensemble X and guided it for nine seasons, from 1997 until 2006. He also taught at Eastman School of Music and the University of California, Berkeley, and in 2014, he joined the composition faculty at the prestigious Juilliard School.

Stucky, ever the passionate educator, mentored many who went on to become successful composers themselves, including Joseph Phibbs, Marc Mellits, Robert Paterson, and David Conte, among others. He taught master classes and served residencies around the world, underscoring his global influence and love for teaching. His life's work continues to resonate within the world of music, inspiring new generations to pursue their passion for composition.