Previous posts for June 7th will be found here: Charles Strouse (2019) and Dean Martin (2020)
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Charles Strouse (b. 7 June 1928) is an American composer, especially of Broadway musicals.
Making Academic Overtures; or, If You’ve Got the Money, We’ve Got the Time
A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, he also studied under Arthur Berger, David Diamond, Aaron Copland and Nadia Boulanger. — adapted from Wikipedia
His mentors imparted their knowledge,
Secure in the lore they were giving,
But Charles, on departing from college,
Was intent upon making a living.
Just look at the list of his teachers!
His training was expert and sturdy,
Though perhaps not in skills that he features
In his musical score Bye Bye Birdie.
A Broadway success brings attention,
And movie success raises eyebrows,
A fact it’s imprudent to mention
When speaking with musical highbrows.
But Eastman won’t challenge or judge him
Or call his stuff “musical trash,”
The faculty doesn’t begrudge him
For making such oodles of cash;
As a student the question was “Can he
Show proof of his technical prowess?”
But now they ask, thinking of Annie,
“Should we ask Mr. Strouse to endow us?
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