Stephens, John (Elliott)
Stephens, John (Elliott)
Stephens, John (Elliott), American conductor and composer; b. Washington, D.C., Nov. 6, 1929. He studied at the Catholic Univ. of America in Washington, D.C. (B.M., 1959; M.M., 1962; D.M.A., 1972); also had lessons in 20th-century conducting with Boulez at the Basel Academy of Music (certificate, 1969), and studied composition privately with Wuorinen, Shapey, and Brant. He founded and was music director of the American Camerata for New Music in Washington, D.C, with which he appeared widely and made numerous recordings; taught at George Washington Univ. (1963–74), Catholic Univ. (1967–68), American Univ. (1976–83), and the Univ. of the District of Columbia (from 1983). He produced for radio the acclaimed educational series “New Sounds for Young Ears.”
Works: String Quartet (1959); Concert Piece for Jazz Band (1960); Sym. in 1 Movement (1962); Sextet for Woodwind Quintet and Piano (1963); Chamber Sym. (1964); Inventions for Treble Instruments (1965); Concert Music for Flutes and Piano (1970); Cantata for Narrator, Chamber Chorus, Baritone, Boy’s Chorus, and Chamber Ensemble (1972); Songs for Soprano, Flute, Harp, and Strings (1975); Inventions for Clarinet (1978); Creations for Trombone and String Quartet (1982); 3 for 4 for Harp, Flute/Piccolo, Viola, and Trombone (1984); Double Concerto for Flute, Oboe, Strings, Percussion, and Harp (1988).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire