July 14 - Eric Stokes (The Musical Birthday Series)

Composer Eric Stokes (14 July 1930– 16 March1999) is not too well-known outside of Minnesota, but since he was an important force in my musical life, and one of my teachers, I am celebrating his birthday. 

Stoked

He believed the avant-garde

Shouldn’t be so hard

For ordinary folks —

And that's why Eric Stokes

Employed his musical jokes,

And lightened his arcana

With echt Americana,

In Ivesian barrages

Of colorful collages.


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