Career
During this time, he completed Jonah and then returned to teaching and opera productions at Columbia. The year of 1953/1954, he adapted Saroyan's play as a libretto and composed Hello Out There as well as superintending its first performance. From 1955 to 1958 he collaborated with Kenward Elmslie on The Sweet Bye and Bye, first performed at the Juilliard School. From 1958 to 1959 he wrote three orchestral works and numerous smaller pieces. During 1965 and 1967 he recorded and published Lizzie Borden, which was televised by NET Opera and revived by the New York City Opera. That same year, he also became MacDowell Professor of Music at Columbia. From 1981 to 1991 he wrote Cyrano, a heroic comedy in music, with Sheldon Harnick. He then chose early retirement from Columbia in 1988, but returned as a member of the Society of Senior Scholars. In May 2010, he was awarded a Letter of Distinction from the American Music Center.
His notable students include Charles Wuorinen, John Kander, Phillip Ramey, Alice Shields, Joan Tower, Harvey Sollberger, Michael Rosenzweig, Bright Sheng, Mark Birnbaum, and Richard Einhorn. Beeson died in June 6, 2010 in New York City, New York.
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Famous quotes containing the word career:
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