​

​

Short Bio

Dr. David Stern was born in Brooklyn, NY, on August 6th, 1955.  Early studies in composition were at Juilliard with Stanley Wolfe at Juilliard. Mr.Wolfe was sufficiently impressed by Stern’s composing that he encouraged Stern to study composition privately with him. Stern later received a B. Mus at The Mannes College of Music, an M.A. from Queens College and a Ph.D. from The Graduate Center of CUNY. Dr. Stern has also studied composition with other teachers, but is primarily self-taught in composition. He taught music theory courses at the Mannes College of Music, University of North Texas, Ball State University and Claremont Colleges.

Dr. Stern had two orchestral compositions premiered at Ball State University in fall of 2002, his Symphony no. 1, dedicated to the glory and beauty of God, and“We Stand for Freedom: In Memoriam, September 11th, 2001.” This last work has already received several performances. 

In her review, Michelle Kinsley of The Star Press wrote: “A very impressive piece of music was performed next. We Stand For Freedom, written by Ball State University music faculty member David Stern, was quite simply music that every American needs to hear.”

Other orchestral performances include two works about Leonardo da Vinci which were premiered in 2006 by the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. Da Vinci’s Musical Riddle is based on musical notation from a notebook of da Vinci, and Da Vinci’s Wings of Flight is a colorful tone poem for large orchestra, based on the great artist’s fascination with flight. "Lincoln Speaks of Liberty" sets extensive quotations by Lincoln to orchestral music, and has been performed to standing ovations.