Ned Rorem

Ned Rorem born 23 October 1923

Ned Rorem is a noted American composer and diarist. He is most well known and praised for his song settings, although his work has been varied and includes three symphonies.

He was born in Richmond, Indiana and received his early education in Chicago at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, the American Conservatory and then Northwestern University. Later, Rorem moved on to the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia and finally the Juilliard School in New York City.

During the time he lived in Morocco and Paris (1949-57), his song texts came from several languages.

In 1969 he published his Paris Diary, which, with his later diaries, has brought him some degree of notoriety, as he is honest about his and others' sexuality, describing his relationships with Leonard Bernstein, Noel Coward, Samuel Barber and Virgil Thomson, and outing at least a few people.

Ned Rorem's official website