Photo: Louis Ouzer
Warren Benson Archive
The Warren Benson Archive is a collection of Benson's compositions and professional papers. Most materials are published compositions and papers, but there are also manuscripts and working copies with Benson's annotations, corrections and revisions. Additional materials to the collection include photographs, video and sound recordings in various formats.
Warren Benson Archive
Ruth T. Watanabe Special Collections
27 Gibbs St.
Rochester, New York 14604
Special Collections may be reached at 585-274-1335 or by email at dcoppen@esm.rochester.edu.
The department offers standard reading services, browsing and music reading privileges by appointment, and research and consultation reference service relating to its holdings.
Warren Benson Composition Contest
This prestigious international competition honors the life and legacy of American composer, educator and visionary Warren Benson (1924-2005). Benson is known as unique voice in wind ensemble repertoire with his music in performance described by one conductor as “holding the potential for an unbelievably moving musical experience for both player and listener.”
In the spirit of building a global symphonic community and convened biannually by the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles (WASBE), the Warren Benson Composition Contest encourages composers from around the world to create highly original new works that enrich the wind band repertoire with lasting creative and audience impact.
Benson’s relationship with WASBE began as a founding advocate for the organization and as author of its Statement of Understanding, the guiding philosophy of WASBE that emphasizes cultural heritage, inclusivity, artistic excellence and global exchange of musical ideas. Benson’s lifelong dedication to highest artistic creativity, and to students, composers, performers and educators actively strengthened WASBE’s mission that today connects the worldwide wind band community.
Click here for more on WASBE and the Warren Benson Composition Contest
Warren Benson Scholarship
The Benson family is grateful to Ruth Komanoff Underwood and others who have contributed to the Warren Benson endowed scholarship fund at the University of Rochester's Eastman School of Music. The scholarship fund supports the studies of students in composition.
Warren and Patricia Benson Forum on Creativity (2004-2019)
The Warren and Patricia Benson Forum on Creativity was a semi-annual event held at the Eastman School of Music, curated by the Composition Department, with the purpose of encouraging open discussion on the nature of creativity across artistic disciplines. It was made possible by a generous gift from the Benson family.
The Forum engaged the artistic partnership interests of Warren and Pat Benson — in the arts, poetry, languages, history and cultures — to inform the creative process and, especially, to offer young composers the opportunity to explore writing and hearing new works influenced by these elements.