The Register of
Leonard Stein Papers
1942 - 1983

MSS 0219

Mandeville Special Collections Library
Geisel Library
University of California, San Diego

Extent: 0.50 linear feet (1 archives box)

Abstract

Papers of Leonard Stein, American music scholar, pianist and musical director of "Encounters," a series of musical events performed in Los Angeles and co-sponsored by the Pasadena Art Museum, the Coleman Chamber Music Association, the Pasadena Music Teachers' Association, and the Institute Committee on Programs of the California Institute of Technology. Included are correspondence, programs, newspaper clippings, photographs and audiorecordings from the "Encounters" program and a file of correspondence (1942-1983) with Ernst Krenek. The collection is arranged in two series: 1) ENCOUNTERS MATERIALS and 2) CORRESPONDENCE.

Biography

Leonard Stein was born in Los Angeles, California, on December 1, 1916. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles where he received his bachelor's degree in 1939 and his master of music in 1941. He was Arnold Schoenberg's teaching assistant while at UCLA. Stein later received his D.M.A. from the University of Southern California in 1965.

He taught at Occidental College (1946-1948), Los Angeles City College (1948-1960), Pomona College (1961-1962), University of California, Los Angeles (1962-1964), Claremont Graduate School (1963-1967), University of California, San Diego (1966), California State College at Dominguez Hills (1967-1970) and the California Institute of the Arts (1970-1975). In 1975, Stein was appointed adjunct professor in the School of Music at the University of Southern California.

On April 13, 1964, the Pasadena Art Museum and the Coleman Chamber Music Association, under the musical direction of Stein, co-sponsored the first "Encounters" event which was held at the Pasadena Art Museum Auditorium. At the time, the new series of musical events was conceived as:

"a meeting, face to face, of the outstanding composers and performers of today with those who seek to gain insight into original and difficult works in contemporary idiom. To encourage rapport between composer and listener, the setting will be informal, the composer will speak, and programming will allow for the replaying of some works."

The Pasadena Music Teachers' Association became a continuing co-sponsor by the third event. In November of 1971, the Institute Committee on Programs of the California Institute of Technology became a sponsor of the program and "Encounters" performances were staged on that campus.

Scope and Content

Accessions Processed in 1993

The Leonard Stein papers contain ENCOUNTERS materials and correspondence with Ernst Krenek (1942-1983). The ENCOUNTERS materials were created and collected by Leonard Stein and relate to his activities as musical director for the series. The collection is arranged in two series: 1) ENCOUNTERS MATERIALS and 2) CORRESPONDENCE.

The ENCOUNTERS series contains three subseries: "Correspondence," "Miscellaneous Materials," and "Recordings." The correspondence relates to the mechanics of the program and includes exchanges between Stein and committee members, correspondence with prospective composers and performers, preparations for an event to mark the opening of the new Pasadena Museum of Art and correspondence, arranged alphabetically, between Stein and individual composers who performed in the series.

The second subseries, "Miscellaneous Materials," contains a folder of "Encounters" programs and announcements arranged chronologically; a holograph list of performers with dates and brief program notes; newspaper clippings of reviews of performances; and miscellaneous photographs of performances.

The third subseries contains six reel-to-reel audiorecordings of several individual ENCOUNTERS events.

The CORRESPONDENCE series contains a file of correspondence between Stein and composer Ernst Krenek.

Finding aid generated: 2005-10-31