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Lukas Foss, noted composer, pianist and conductor, who as head of UB’s Creative Associates during the 1960s helped to define the university as a center for the composition and performance of contemporary experimental classical music, died on Sunday in his home in Manhattan. He was 86.
Foss, who was conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from 1963-70, founded the Center of the Creative and Performing Arts—whose members were known as the Creative Associates—at UB in 1964 and served as co-director until 1974.
The Creative Associates presented work by such avant-garde composers as John Cage, Charles Wuorinen, Philip Glass, Frank Zappa, Milton Babbit and June Nam Paik. At least 300 composers and performers were involved in the influential performances, which incorporated a wide range of innovative technologies and multimedia processes.
Established under the auspices of the center and the Department of Music were the Evenings for New Music concerts, performed at various venues in and around Buffalo from 1964-80, and the June in Buffalo festival, which continues to this day. Both series are notable for featuring dozens of world and U.S. premieres, performances of works by the most prominent composers of the 20th century, performances by composers of their own works, spoken comments by composers about their works and performances by leading contemporary music performance specialists.
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