Collection 154-M

Paul Chihara Collection of Musical Works and Papers

American composer, Paul Chihara (b. Seattle, WA, July 9, 1938) studied composition with Robert Palmer at Cornell University (where he received an MA and DMA in English Literature), Nadia Boulanger in Paris, Ernst Pepping in Berlin, and Gunther Schuller at the Berkshire Music Center.

Chihara served as an associate professor of music at UCLA from 1966 through 1976. While at UCLA, he founded and directed the Twice Ensemble, conducted the collegium musicum and was composer in residence for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (1971-1974).

He served as the Andrew Mellon Professor at California Institute of Technology in 1975, and taught at the California Institute of the Arts in 1976. Chihara became the composer in residence for the San Francisco Ballet in 1980. He re-joined the UCLA faculty in 1996, and served as Visiting Professor in 1999.

His compositional style reflects his interest in asian music, and utilizes shifts in timbral coloring and limited pitch movement.

Chihara has received commissions from many world-renowned performing institutions, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra,the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.

Highlights of the collection include annotated scores and notes on performance and composition by the composer.

The collection is arranged alphabetically by work title.

The collection consists of music manuscripts, published scores, sound recordings, programs, published reviews, correspondence and photographs.

For additional information about this collection consult:

Catalog record
Finding aid

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