American Muse: The Life and Times of William Schuman

by Joseph W. Polisi

Overview

(Amadeus). President of The Juilliard School and then of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts during the years 1945-1968, Schuman (1910-1992) was an "artistic catalyst" who was instrumental in shaping how America perceived and supported music, dance and drama in the second half of the twentieth century. His influence as an arts administrator, educator and composer caused him to be considered at one time as "probably the most powerful figure in the world of art music." Complex, driven, and filled with a confident optimism that characterized America at the time, Schuman thought of himself as "a part of many different worlds." Those worlds included his life as a composer of more than one hundred works in orchestral, choral, chamber, and operatic settings. His music has been characterized as "full of American directness in its vibrant rhythms and brilliant orchestrations." This first-ever complete biography of Schuman brings the many threads of his life together within the context of the personalities and events that shaped how we experience the arts in America in the twenty-first century.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781574671735
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	11/01/2008
Series:	Amadeus
Pages:	630
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Dr. Joseph Polisi became the sixth president of the Juilliard School in September of 1984. Previously he held position at University of Cincinnati, Manhattan School of Music, and Yale University. As a bassoonist, Dr. Polisi has performed throughout the United States. He has written many scholarly and educational articles for professional journals, and is a frequent speaker on arts and education issues. At Juilliard, Dr. Polisi has led the process of developing a comprehensive long-range plan for the school via the “Juilliard Second Century Fund ” a $300 million capital campaign dedicated to providing the resources necessary for Juilliard programs to flourish in the twenty-first century. His first book The Artist as Citizen was published by Amadeus Press in 2005.