Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

July 9, 1915 in Rochester, NY

Death

:

June 13, 2005 in Brighton, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Chamber

 

 

Orchestral

 

 

Symphony

 

David Diamond was an American composer who was born on July 9, 1915, in Rochester, New York. He was the youngest of five children in a Jewish family. His father was a tailor, and his mother was a homemaker. Diamond showed an early interest in music and began playing the piano at the age of six. He also learned to play the violin and the cello. Diamond's family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, when he was nine years old. He continued his musical studies and began composing at the age of 12. He attended the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he studied composition with Ernest Bloch. He also studied with Roger Sessions at the Juilliard School in New York City. Diamond's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and Hindemith. His first major work was the Symphony No. 1, which he composed in 1937. The symphony was well-received and helped establish Diamond as a promising young composer. During World War II, Diamond served in the Army Air Corps. He was stationed in Italy, where he wrote music for the Army band. After the war, he returned to the United States and continued to compose. He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1945, which allowed him to travel to Europe and study with Nadia Boulanger in Paris. Diamond's music continued to evolve throughout his career. He was known for his use of dissonance and complex rhythms. He also incorporated elements of jazz and popular music into his compositions. Some of his most famous works include the Symphony No. 3, the Concerto for Chamber Orchestra, and the Rounds for String Orchestra. Diamond was a prolific composer, and his works were performed by many of the leading orchestras and conductors of his time. He received numerous awards and honors, including the National Medal of Arts in 1995. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Institute of Arts and Letters. Diamond died on June 13, 2005, at the age of 89. He left behind a legacy of innovative and influential music. His works continue to be performed and recorded by orchestras and ensembles around the world.

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