Composer Biography:

Noel Scott Stevens
(b. 1926)
 
 
 

The musical career of Noel Scott Stevens, a broadly trained musician, has included a great variety of performing, teaching, and creative experiences. In 1940 he began his clarinet studies with Ted Bachelder of the Vincent Lopez Orchestra. Saxophone studies were conducted under Joe Allard in 1942. Further education was conducted at NY College of Music (1947-51) where he studied with Alex Williams and Dave Weber and received an Artists Diploma.

He received a Performers Certificate in 1957 from the Eastman School of Music where he studied with William Osseck and Stanley Hasty. Also while studying at the Eastman School (1953-59), he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Theory, a Master of Music Degree in History, and a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Performance and Composition.

A consummate composer, he has written for orchestra: "November Seascape--Homage a Sibelius," "Rhapsody for 'Cello and Orchestra," and "Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra." His wind ensemble music includes "Cameos--Four Solo Pieces in the Form of a Symphony," and "Symphony No. 1 for Chamber Winds." He has composed an opera, "The Enchanted Canary." Among his chamber works are a number of woodwind quintets that include "Quintet Op. 10," "Ars Nova Suite," "Nutcracker Suite," "Four Stephen Foster Songs" for woodwind quintet and baritone voice, "Deck the Hall"--twelve Christmas carols for woodwind quintet and harpsichord. His published music can be found in the jeanne Inc. of Minneapolis catalog.

The Ars Nova Quintet has recorded, for Musical Heritage Records, the Anton Rejcha (Reicha) "The Twenty-four Quintets for Woodwind Quintet," Opus 80 (Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) and Opus 91 (Numbers 1, 2, 3, 4). Special record notes were prepared by Stevens. He was also involved in recordings with the Eastman Wind Ensemble in 1956.

Stevens' performing experience has been as a clarinetist with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra under Erich Leinsdorf, the Eastman Wind Ensemble under Frederick Fennell, and the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra under Howard Hanson. He also performed with the Tampa Philharmonic (1963-68), the St. Petersburg Symphony (1964-68), The Gulf Coast Symphony (Florida Orchestra, 1970-75), and the Ars Nova Quintet (1973-89).

However, Stevens' performance experience has not been confined to the classical music world. While serving at the Naval Air Station at Lakehurst, N.J., he performed with the Les Brown Band in 1945. After his discharge from the Navy where he had served as an aerographer's mate, he had a performing career with the Lee Castle, Bobby Burns, and Randy Brooks/Ina Ray Hutton orchestras.

Stevens' teaching experience began at the Crane School of Music in Potsdam, New York (1959-1960), continued at Bemidji University in Minnesota (1960-62), Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri (1962-64), the University of Tampa, Florida (1964-70), and the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida (1970-1989). His teaching subjects included clarinet, music history, theory, and composition/orchestration.

Noel Scott Stevens retired from the University of South Florida in 1989.