Mr. Wuorinen was remarkably prolific, with a corpus of 279 pieces often suffused with brainy wit as well as influences from Renaissance and medieval music. His mother, Alfhild (Kalijarvi) Wuorinen, earned a master’s in biology from Smith College. Charles grew up in the elite intellectual environs of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where he developed a deep connection to the classical canon and began writing music at age 5. Though his parents discouraged a career in composition, he found support from the eminent historian Jacques Barzun, a family friend. From an early age, he studied with Columbia composers, including Vladimir Ussachevsky and Jack Beeson.

Source: New York Times March 13, 2020 21:45 UTC