Jeremy Beck Composer

Jeremy Beck (b. 1960) is a dramatic and lyrical composer of works for varying orchestral, chamber and vocal forces.  Holding degrees in music composition from the Yale School of Music, Duke University and the Mannes College of Music in New York City, Beck began his musical career by learning to play the cello in the Quincy Public Schools as a student of Wayne Pyle and Don Langellier, graduating from Quincy High School in 1978.  While attending QHS, Beck played cello with the Quincy Symphony Orchestra and also began his formal studies in composition and music theory with Dr. Thom Ritter George, then music director of the QSO. Beck’s music has been presented by such organizations as New York City Opera, American Composers Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Boston, and the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra, among others.  CD’s of his music on the innova label were included by Gramophone in its June 2006 Reviews: The best new recordings from North America (“Jeremy Beck is Exhibit A in classical music’s defense against the charge of being out of touch.”).  In addition, Beck has earned awards, grants and honors from the Arts Councils of California, Kentucky and Iowa, Millay Colony for the Arts, Meet the Composer, Wellesley Composers Conference, Oregon Bach Festival, the Los Angeles Chapter of the American Composers Forum, Kentucky Foundation for Women and the American Music Center.  Formerly tenured as an Associate Professor of Composition and Theory both at the University of Northern Iowa and later at California State University-Fullerton, he now makes his home with his wife and son in Louisville, Kentucky, where he is a practicing attorney. For more information about Jeremy Beck’s work or to hear a sampling of his compositions, please visit his website at www.BeckMusic.org