Finding Aid for the Paul Chihara Papers PASC-M.0154
UCLA Library Special Collections
Online finding aid last updated 2005.
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Business Number: 310-825-4988
Fax Number: 310-206-1864
spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Contributing Institution:
UCLA Library Special Collections
Title: Paul Chihara papers
Creator:
Chihara, Paul
Identifier/Call Number: PASC-M.0154
Physical Description:
3.5 Linear Feet
(7 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1965-2005
Abstract: Music manuscripts, published scores, sound recordings, published reviews, and photographs.
Physical Location: Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Restrictions on Access
Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located
on this page.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright,
are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright
and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Paul Chihara Papers (Collection PASC-M 154). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young
Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
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UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
American composer, Paul Chihara (b. Seattle, WA, July 9, 1938) studied composition with Robert Palmer at Cornell University
(where he received an MA and DMA in English Literature), Nadia Boulanger in Paris, Ernst Pepping in Berlin, and Gunther Schuller
at the Berkshire Music Center.
Chihara served as an associate professor of music at UCLA from 1966 through 1976. While at UCLA, he founded and directed the
Twice Ensemble, conducted the collegium musicum and was composer in residence for the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (1971-1974).
He served as the Andrew Mellon Professor at California Institute of Technology in 1975, and taught at the California Institute
of the Arts in 1976. Chihara became the composer in residence for the San Francisco Ballet in 1980. He re-joined the UCLA
faculty in 1996, and served as Visiting Professor in 1999.
Chihara has received commissions from many world-renowned performing institutions, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra,the
Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
His compositional style reflects his interest in asian music, and utilizes shifts in timbral coloring and limited pitch movement.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of music manuscripts, published scores, sound recordings, programs, published reviews, correspondence
and photographs.
Highlights of the collection include annotated scores and notes on performance and composition by the composer.
The collection is arranged alphabetically by work title.
The collection is organized into the following series:
- Series 1. Birds of Sorrow (Symphony No. 2)
- Series 2. Clarion
- Series 3. Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
- Series 4. Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra
- Series 5. Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
- Series 6. Fantasy
- Series 7. Forest Music for Orchestra
- Series 8. Forever Escher
- Series 9. The Infernal Machine
- Series 10. Lie Lightly Gentle Earth
- Series 11. Minidoka
- Series 12. Magnificat
- Series 13. Mistletoe Bride
- Series 14. Nocturne for 24 Solo Voices
- Series 15. Oedipus Rag
- Series 16. Prince of the City
- Series 17. Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Violoncello
- Series 18. Scéne de Ballet (for six instruments)
- Series 19. Shinju = Lover's Suicide
- Series 20. Shogun
- Series 21. Sinfonia Concertante
- Series 22. String Quartet in One Movement
- Series 23. Tempest
- Series 24. Tree Music for Three Violas and Three Trombones
- Series 25. Trio for Violin, Bass Trombone and Harp
- Series 26. Miscellaneous Photographs
- Series 27. Miscellaneous Programs
Birds of Sorrow (Symphony No. 2) Series 1.
box 7, folder 1
Birds of Sorrow (Symphony No. 2)
1981
General Physical Description note: 75 leaves, manuscript
General note
Spiral bound manuscript (photocopy).
Clarion Series 2.
Scope and Contents note
Ballet for Lucinda Childs, commissioned by the Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Articles and Reviews Subseries 1.
box 1, folder 1
"A Grand Evening of Dance by PNB"
April 3, 1986
Scope and Contents note
Seattle Times article written by Carole Beers regarding "Clarion."
General note
Photocopy.
box 1, folder 1
"Pacific Northwest's Triumphant 'Hero'""
April 9, 1987
Scope and Contents note
Washington Times article written by Andrea Grodsky Huber, regarding "Clarion."
General note
Photocopy.
box 2, folder 1
Arts Line - Pacific Northwest Ballet Edition, vol. III, no. 12
April, 1986
General Physical Description note: 12 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Program for the world premiere of "Clarion."
box 5, folder 1
Clarion
1985
General Physical Description note: 75 leaves, manuscript
General note
Enclosed in folder.
box 5, folder 1
Clarion
1985
General Physical Description note: 35 leaves, manuscript
Scope and Contents note
Composer's rehearsal piano score with corrections (photocopy).
General note
Enclosed in folder.
Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra Series 3.
Scope and Contents note
Written for Pepe Romero and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra.
box 7, folder 1
Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra
1976
General Physical Description note: 62 leaves, manuscript
Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra Series 4.
Scope and Contents note
Commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra for Harvey Pittel.
box 7, folder 1
Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra
1980
General Physical Description note: 53 leaves, manuscript
General note
Spiral bound manuscript
Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra Series 5.
box 7, folder 1
Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
1980
General Physical Description note: 68 leaves, score
General note
Spiral bound score.
box 7, folder 1
Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra
1980
General Physical Description note: 134 leaves, score
Fantasy Series 6.
Scope and Contents note
Collection of Duke Ellington songs arranged by Chihara for string quartet.
box 2, folder 1
The Lydian String Quartet
November 8, 1997
General Physical Description note: 4 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Program regarding a performance of "Fantasy."
Forest Music for Orchestra Series 7.
Scope and Contents note
Dedicated to Yuji Takahishi. The 7th work in a series of tone pictures dealing with trees. See also: Series 24, "Tree Music
for Three Violas, and Three Trombones."
box 7, folder 1
Forest Music for Orchestra
1969
General Physical Description note: 12 leaves, ozalid
Forever Escher Series 8.
Scope and Contents note
Double string quartet for string quartet and saxophone quartet, commissioned by the NEA for the Amhearst Saxophone Quartet
and the Cleveland String Quartet.
box 6, folder 1
Forever Escher
1994
General Physical Description note: 49 leaves, manuscript
The Infernal Machine Series 9.
Scope and Contents note
Began as a ballet after Cocteau's play, as a project for the American Ballet Theater in collaboration with Glen Tetly. Re-worked
into "Oedipus Rag." See also, series 15, "Oedipus Rag."
box 4, folder 1
The Infernal Machine
1979
General Physical Description note: 37 leaves, manuscript
Scope and Contents note
Sketches for the work. Includes composer's explanations.
Lie Lightly Gentle Earth Series 10.
Scope and Contents note
Vocal score.
box 3, folder 3
Lie Lightly Gentle Earth
1973
Material Specific Details: S.A.T.B.
General Physical Description note: 5 leaves, vocal score
Minidoka Series 11.
Scope and Contents note
Vocal score.
box 3, folder 3
Minidoka
1995
General Physical Description note: 14 leaves
General note
Commissioned by The Esoterics and Tom Baker. Spiral Bound score. Also includes cover sheet of composer's explanation of the
origin of the work, as well as a translation of Japanese lyrics.
Magnificat Series 12.
Scope and Contents note
Work for 6 part women's chorus.
box 3, folder 3
Magnificat
1967
General Physical Description note: 11 leaves, vocal score
Mistletoe Bride Series 13.
Scope and Contents note
Ballet in one act, commissioned by the San Francisco Ballet.
Articles and Reviews Subseries 1.
box 1, folder 1
"The Adaptable Chihara Leaps From Movies To Ballet"
Scope and Contents note
San Fransico Chronicle article written by Marilyn Tucker, regarding "Mistletoe Bride."
General note
Photocopy.
Correspondence Subseries 2.
box 2, folder 4
Philip Semark (General Manager, San Francisco Ballet) to Paul Chihara
Scope and Contents note
Letter of intent for composing, "Mistletoe Bride."
box 2, folder 2
Roberta Pfeil, Vane Vest (San Francisco Ballet)
Scope and Contents note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of Pfeil and Vest performing in "Mistletoe Bride." Photograph by James Armstrong.
box 2, folder 2
Susan Magno, Vane Vest (San Francisco Ballet)
Scope and Contents note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of Magno and Vest performing in "Mistletoe Bride." Photograph by Ted Pushinsky.
box 2, folder 1
San Francisco Ballet Magazine
Scope and Contents note
Program for the premiere of "Misteltoe Bride."
box 4, folder 1
Mistletoe Bride
General Physical Description note: 140 leaves, manuscript
General note
Manuscript (photostat copy) with composer's corrections.
Nocturne for 24 Solo Voices Series 14.
box 2, folder 2
Roberta Pfeil, Vane Vest (San Francisco Ballet)
General note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of Pfeil and Vest performing their roles in "Mistletoe Bride." Photograph by James Armstrong.
box 3, folder 3
Nocturne for 24 Solo Voices
[1967]
General Physical Description note: 3 leaves, vocal score
General note
Composer/performer edition. Enclosed in yellow cover.
Oedipus Rag Series 15.
Scope and Contents note
Also known as, "Love Songs for Two Monsters."
Articles and Reviews Subseries 1.
box 1, folder 1
"This Month on WFMT - The Best of Chicago"
March, 1979
Scope and Contents note
Chicago Magazine article regarding the premiere of "Oedipus Rag."
General note
Photocopy.
box 5, folder 2
Oedipus Rag
1979
General Physical Description note: 14 leaves, ozalid piano-vocal score
Prince of the City Series 16.
Scope and Contents note
Film score.
box 3, folder 2
Prince of the City
General Physical Description note: ozalid copy, 215 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Includes handwritten cue sheet.
Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Violoncello Series 17.
Scope and Contents note
Commissioned by David Shifrin.
box 1, folder 1
David Shifrin at the Y
April 22, 1986
General Physical Description note: 3 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Program for the premiere of "Quartet for clarinet, violin, viola, and cello."
box 6, folder 1
Quartet for Clarinet, Violin, Viola, and Cello
1986
General Physical Description note: 55 leaves, manuscript
Scéne de Ballet (for six instruments) Series 18.
Scope and Contents note
Composed for the Greitzer Ensemble.
box 6, folder 1
Scéne de Ballet
1986
General Physical Description note: 56 leaves, ozalid
General note
Spiral bound manuscript.
Shinju = Lover's Suicide Series 19.
Scope and Contents note
Ballet commissioned by the San Francisco Ballet.
Articles and Reviews Subseries 1.
box 1, folder 1
"Something Special Afoot"
March, 1978
Scope and Contents note
San Fransico Chronicle article written by Heuell Tircuit, regarding the premier of "Shinju."
General note
Photocopy.
box 1, folder 1
"Two Stunning Premieres From the S.F. Ballet"
March 22, 1978
Scope and Contents note
San Fransico Chronicle article written by Robert Commanday, regarding "Shinju."
General note
Photocopy.
box 2, folder 2
Gary Wahl (San Francisco Ballet)
General note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of Wahl performing his role in "Shinju."
box 2, folder 2
San Francisco Ballet
General note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of dancers performing "Shinju." Photograph by James Armstrong.
box 2, folder 2
Tina Santos, Gary Wahl (San Francisco Ballet)
General note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of Santos and Wahl performing their roles in "Shinju."
box 2, folder 2
Tina Santos, Gary Wahl (San Francisco Ballet)
General note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of Santos and Wahl performing their roles in "Shinju." Photograph by Jacquiline Poitier.
box 2, folder 2
Tina Santos, Gary Wahl (San Francisco Ballet)
General note
8 x 10, b&w photograph of Santos and Wahl performing their roles in "Shinju." Photography by Arne Folkedal.
box 2, folder 1
San Francisco Ballet Magazine
Scope and Contents note
Program for the world premiere of "Shinju."
box 4, folder 1
Shinju
1974
General Physical Description note: 28 leaves
General note
Spiral bound manuscript (photocopy), with composer's corrections and markings. Includes 2 leaves of composer's explanations.
Sound Recordings Subseries 5.
box 2, folder 3
Shinju
Scope and Contents note
Tape overlays.
General note
Cassette duplicate.
Shogun Series 20.
Scope and Contents note
Musical.
Articles and Reviews Subseries 1.
box 1, folder 1
"Born To Be Much Better - Shogun Composer Paul Chihara Speaks Out Against The Show"
December 31, 1990
Scope and Contents note
Theater Week article written by John Harris.
General note
Two photocopies.
[Advertisement]
May 6, 1990
Scope and Contents note
New York Times full page advertisement for "Shogun."
Playbill - Marquis Theater
November 15, 1990
General Physical Description note: 50 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Program for the opening night of "Shogun."
General note
Original program, and photocopies of program selections.
box 3, folder 1
Shogun
[1980]
General Physical Description note: 280 leaves, piano vocal prints
Sinfonia Concertante Series 21.
Scope and Contents note
Commissioned by the NEA for the Boston Symphony Chamber Players.
box 2, folder 1
Boston Symphony Chamber Players
January 20, 1980
General Physical Description note: 2 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Program for the premiere of "Sinfonia Concertante."
box 5, folder 2
Sinfonia Concertante
1979
General Physical Description note: 100 leaves, manuscript
String Quartet in One Movement Series 22.
Scope and Contents note
Dedicated to the Philadelphia String Quartet.
box 5, folder 2
String Quartet in One Movement
1965
General Physical Description note: 8 leaves, score
Tempest Series 23.
Scope and Contents note
Ballet written for the San Francisco Ballet.
Articles and Reviews Subseries 1.
box 1, folder 1
"'Tempest' Takes Ballet Audience By Storm"
May 25, 1996
Scope and Contents note
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article written by Tom Strini, regarding "Tempest."
General note
Photocopy.
box 4, folder 1
The Tempest
1980
General Physical Description note: 150 leaves, ozalid
Scope and Contents note
Spiral bound ozalid.
Sound Recordings Subseries 3.
box 2, folder 3
Tempest
1988
General note
Compact disc.
Tree Music for Three Violas and Three Trombones Series 24.
Scope and Contents note
Work is the first in a series of tone pictures dealing with trees. See also: Series 7, "Forest Music for Orchestra."
box 5, folder 2
Tree Music for Three Violas and Three Trombones
1966
General Physical Description note: 10 leaves, manuscript
Scope and Contents note
Includes cover sheet attached to a card containing composer's notes.
General note
Photocopy.
box 5, folder 2
Tree Music for Three Violas and Three Trombones
1966
General Physical Description note: 10 leaves, manuscript
Scope and Contents note
With composer's notes.
Trio for Violin, Bass Trombone and Harp Series 25.
Scope and Contents note
Commissioned by the For The Love of Music Ensemble.
box 2, folder 1
Merkin Concert Hall
February 16, 1988
General Physical Description note: 4 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Program for the world premiere of "Trio for violin, bass trombone, and harp."
box 6, folder 1
Trio for Violin, Bass Trombone and Harp
1988
General Physical Description note: 32 leaves, manuscript
Miscellaneous Photographs Series 26.
box 2, folder 2
Paul Chihara, Yuji Takahishi, Leon Kirchner
1972
Scope and Contents note
Photograph taken at the Ojai Music Festival.
General note
Photocopy.
Miscellaneous Programs Series 27.
box 2, folder 1
Carnegie Mellon Music
November 6, 1997
General Physical Description note: 2 leaves
Scope and Contents note
Program for the lecture, "Composing for the Movies."