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Mark Louis Lehman was a renowned American composer of classical music, born on August 22, 1952, in New York City. He grew up in a family of musicians, with his father being a pianist and his mother a violinist. Lehman started playing the piano at the age of five and showed a keen interest in music from a very young age. Lehman's musical education began at the Juilliard School, where he studied piano and composition. He later went on to earn a Bachelor of Music degree from the Manhattan School of Music and a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music. During his time at Yale, Lehman studied with the renowned composer Jacob Druckman, who had a significant influence on his musical style. Lehman's early works were heavily influenced by the avant-garde movement of the 1960s and 1970s. His compositions were characterized by their complex rhythms, dissonant harmonies, and unconventional instrumentation. Some of his early works include "String Quartet No. 1" (1975) and "Piano Sonata No. 1" (1976). In the 1980s, Lehman's music began to evolve, and he started incorporating more tonal elements into his compositions. His works from this period were marked by their lyrical melodies, lush harmonies, and intricate counterpoint. Some of his notable works from this period include "Concerto for Violin and Orchestra" (1982) and "Symphony No. 1" (1985). Lehman's music continued to evolve in the 1990s, and he began to experiment with different musical forms and genres. He started incorporating elements of jazz, rock, and world music into his compositions, creating a unique and eclectic style. Some of his notable works from this period include "Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra" (1992) and "String Quartet No. 3" (1995). Lehman's music has been performed by some of the world's leading orchestras and ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and the Kronos Quartet. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Rome Prize, the Guggenheim Fellowship, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award. One of Lehman's most significant works is his opera "The Scarlet Letter," which premiered at the Santa Fe Opera in 2000. Based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, the opera tells the story of Hester Prynne, a woman who is shunned by her community after having an affair and giving birth to a child out of wedlock. The opera received critical acclaim and has since been performed at several opera houses around the world. Lehman's other notable works include "Concerto for Piano and Orchestra" (2005), "String Quartet No. 4" (2008), and "Symphony No. 2" (2012). His music has been praised for its emotional depth, technical virtuosity, and innovative use of musical forms and genres. In addition to his work as a composer, Lehman was also a respected music educator. He taught at several universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Michigan. He was known for his passionate and engaging teaching style, and many of his students went on to become successful composers and performers in their own right. Sadly, Lehman passed away on December 28, 2018, at the age of 66. His legacy as a composer and educator continues to inspire and influence musicians around the world. His music remains a testament to his creativity, passion, and dedication to the art of classical music.

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