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{{Short description|American composer (1926–2015)}}
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'''John Duffy''' (23 June 1926, New York City — 22 December 2015, Norfolk, Virginia) was an [[United States|American]] [[composer]] who created more than 300 works from symphonic music and operas to music for the concert hall, theatre, and film and television. In 1974 he founded the organization [[Meet The Composer]] under the auspices of the [[New York State Council on the Arts]] and the [[American Music Center]]. The organization helped to create platforms for contemporary composers to discuss new works with audiences; notably coordinating summer festivals of contemporary music for the [[New York Philharmonic]] and helping to fund composer-in-residence programs with 32 symphony orchestras throughout the United States among many other successful projects.<ref name="Nyt"/> He continued to lead the organization until 1996.<ref name="ON">{{cite news|url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/2/Departments/Obituaries.html|title=Obituaries: John Duffy|work=[[Opera News]]|date=February 2016|author=F. Paul Driscoll}}</ref>
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Duffy
| image =
| image_upright =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1926|06|23}}
| birth_place = [[New York, New York]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|12|22|1926|06|23}}
| death_place = [[Norfolk, Virginia]], U.S.
| education = [[The New School]]
| occupation = Composer
| organizations = [[American Music Center]]
}}
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'''John Duffy''' (June 23, 1926 – December 22, 2015) was an American [[composer]] who created more than 300 works from symphonic music and operas to music for the concert hall, theatre, and film and television. In 1974 he founded the organization [[Meet The Composer]] under the auspices of the [[New York State Council on the Arts]] and the [[American Music Center]]. The organization helped to create platforms for contemporary composers to discuss new works with audiences; notably coordinating summer festivals of contemporary music for the [[New York Philharmonic]] and helping to fund composer-in-residence programs with 32 symphony orchestras throughout the United States among many other successful projects.<ref name="Nyt"/> He continued to lead the organization until 1996.<ref name="ON">{{cite news|url=http://www.operanews.com/Opera_News_Magazine/2016/2/Departments/Obituaries.html|title=Obituaries: John Duffy|work=[[Opera News]]|date=February 2016|author=F. Paul Driscoll}}</ref>


==Biography==
==Biography==
Born in Manhattan, Duffy was one of fourteen children born to his Irish immigrant parents, Thomas Duffy and Anna Quirk.<ref name="DP">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-nws-duffy-obit-20151223-story.html|title=John Duffy, Emmy-winning composer, founder of Meet the Composer, dies at 89|work=[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]|date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> Raised in [[Woodlawn, Bronx]], he enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]] and fought in the [[Battle of Okinawa]]. After the war he studied music composition at [[The New School]] with [[Henry Cowell]] and [[Solomon Rosowsky]], and with [[Aaron Copland]] at the [[Tanglewood Music Center]]. Soon after completing his studies, he became music director of the Antioch Shakespeare Festival which was founded by [[Arthur Lithgow]]. He went on to hold similar posts at the [[Guthrie Theater]], the [[Long Wharf Theater]] and the [[American Shakespeare Festival]]; writing several compositions for plays presented by those organizations. He also wrote scores for the Broadway productions of [[J. P. Donleavy]]'s ''[[The Ginger Man]]'' and [[Barbara Garson]]'s ''[[MacBird!]]''. He won two [[Emmy Award]]s for the music that he wrote for the documentaries: ''[[A Talent for Life: Jews of the Italian Renaissance]]'' (1979, NBC) and ''[[Heritage: Civilization and the Jews]]'' (1984, PBS).<ref name="Nyt">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/arts/music/john-duffy-composer-who-aided-his-contemporaries-dies-at-89.html|title=John Duffy, a Composer Who Gave His Peers a Platform, Dies at 89|author=William Grimes|date=December 28, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He was commissioned by the Sierra Club to compose "Symphony No. 1 — Utah" (premiered 1990 at Lincoln Center), and created "A Time for Remembrance," to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] for the [[U.S. Department of the Interior]].<ref name="DP"/>
Born in Manhattan, Duffy was one of fourteen children born to his Irish immigrant parents, Thomas Duffy and Anna Quirk.<ref name="DP">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-nws-duffy-obit-20151223-story.html|title=John Duffy, Emmy-winning composer, founder of Meet the Composer, dies at 89|work=[[Daily Press (Virginia)|Daily Press]]|date=December 23, 2015}}</ref> Raised in [[Woodlawn, Bronx]], he enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] during [[World War II]] and fought in the [[Battle of Okinawa]]. After the war he studied music composition at [[The New School]] with [[Henry Cowell]] and [[Solomon Rosowsky]], and with [[Aaron Copland]] at the [[Tanglewood Music Center]]. Soon after completing his studies, he became music director of the Antioch Shakespeare Festival which was founded by [[Arthur Lithgow]]. He went on to hold similar posts at the [[Guthrie Theater]], the [[Long Wharf Theater]] and the [[American Shakespeare Festival]]; writing several compositions for plays presented by those organizations. He also wrote scores for the Broadway productions of [[J. P. Donleavy]]'s ''[[The Ginger Man]]'' and [[Barbara Garson]]'s ''[[MacBird!]]''. He won two [[Emmy Award]]s for the music that he wrote for the documentaries: ''[[A Talent for Life: Jews of the Italian Renaissance]]'' (1979, NBC) and ''[[Heritage: Civilization and the Jews]]'' (1984, PBS).<ref name="Nyt">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/29/arts/music/john-duffy-composer-who-aided-his-contemporaries-dies-at-89.html|title=John Duffy, a Composer Who Gave His Peers a Platform, Dies at 89|author=William Grimes|date=December 28, 2015|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> He was commissioned by the Sierra Club to compose "Symphony No. 1 — Utah" (premiered 1989 at Lincoln Center), and created "A Time for Remembrance," to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the [[attack on Pearl Harbor]] for the [[U.S. Department of the Interior]].<ref name="DP"/>


Duffy died at his home in Norfolk, Virginia in 2015 after a long battle with cancer.<ref name="Nyt"/> He was married to Dorothy Rouse-Bottom.<ref name="DP"/>
Duffy died at his home in Norfolk, Virginia in 2015 after a long battle with cancer.<ref name="Nyt"/> He was married to Dorothy Rouse-Bottom.<ref name="DP"/>
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==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.bruceduffie.com/johnduffy.html Interview with John Duffy], January 25, 1988


{{Laurel Leaf Award}}
{{Laurel Leaf Award}}
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[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:1926 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century classical composers]]
[[Category:20th-century American classical composers]]
[[Category:American classical composers]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
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[[Category:American film score composers]]
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[[Category:American male classical composers]]
[[Category:American opera composers]]
[[Category:American opera composers]]
[[Category:Male opera composers]]
[[Category:American film score composers]]
[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Irish descent]]
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[[Category:American male opera composers]]
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[[Category:American male film score composers]]
[[Category:Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Emmy Award winners]]
[[Category:Male film score composers]]
[[Category:Mannes School of Music alumni]]
[[Category:Mannes College The New School for Music alumni]]
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[[Category:Musicians from Norfolk, Virginia]]
[[Category:Classical musicians from Virginia]]
[[Category:Classical musicians from Virginia]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:Musicians from Norfolk, Virginia]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel of World War II]]
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[[Category:Deaths from cancer in Virginia]]

Latest revision as of 12:04, 10 November 2024

John Duffy
Born(1926-06-23)June 23, 1926
New York, New York, U.S.
DiedDecember 22, 2015(2015-12-22) (aged 89)
Norfolk, Virginia, U.S.
EducationThe New School
OccupationComposer
OrganizationsAmerican Music Center

John Duffy (June 23, 1926 – December 22, 2015) was an American composer who created more than 300 works from symphonic music and operas to music for the concert hall, theatre, and film and television. In 1974 he founded the organization Meet The Composer under the auspices of the New York State Council on the Arts and the American Music Center. The organization helped to create platforms for contemporary composers to discuss new works with audiences; notably coordinating summer festivals of contemporary music for the New York Philharmonic and helping to fund composer-in-residence programs with 32 symphony orchestras throughout the United States among many other successful projects.[1] He continued to lead the organization until 1996.[2]

Biography

[edit]

Born in Manhattan, Duffy was one of fourteen children born to his Irish immigrant parents, Thomas Duffy and Anna Quirk.[3] Raised in Woodlawn, Bronx, he enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II and fought in the Battle of Okinawa. After the war he studied music composition at The New School with Henry Cowell and Solomon Rosowsky, and with Aaron Copland at the Tanglewood Music Center. Soon after completing his studies, he became music director of the Antioch Shakespeare Festival which was founded by Arthur Lithgow. He went on to hold similar posts at the Guthrie Theater, the Long Wharf Theater and the American Shakespeare Festival; writing several compositions for plays presented by those organizations. He also wrote scores for the Broadway productions of J. P. Donleavy's The Ginger Man and Barbara Garson's MacBird!. He won two Emmy Awards for the music that he wrote for the documentaries: A Talent for Life: Jews of the Italian Renaissance (1979, NBC) and Heritage: Civilization and the Jews (1984, PBS).[1] He was commissioned by the Sierra Club to compose "Symphony No. 1 — Utah" (premiered 1989 at Lincoln Center), and created "A Time for Remembrance," to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor for the U.S. Department of the Interior.[3]

Duffy died at his home in Norfolk, Virginia in 2015 after a long battle with cancer.[1] He was married to Dorothy Rouse-Bottom.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c William Grimes (December 28, 2015). "John Duffy, a Composer Who Gave His Peers a Platform, Dies at 89". The New York Times.
  2. ^ F. Paul Driscoll (February 2016). "Obituaries: John Duffy". Opera News.
  3. ^ a b c "John Duffy, Emmy-winning composer, founder of Meet the Composer, dies at 89". Daily Press. December 23, 2015.
[edit]
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