Lees, Benjamin (1924– )

Russian-born US composer. He was taken to the USA as a child, and studied piano in San Francisco and Los Angeles. After serving in the US Army 1942–45, he studied at University of California at Los Angeles, theory, harmony, and composition with Halsey Stevens, Ingolf Dahl, and Ernst Kanitz, also taking private lessons from George Antheil. In 1955 he won a Guggenheim Fellowship and in 1956 a Fulbright Fellowship.

Works Opera The Oracle (1955), The Gilded Cage (1971).

Orchestral five symphonies (1953–86; no. 3 for string quartet and orchestra), Profile for orchestra, concerto for orchestra, two concertos for violin, oboe, and piano, Declamations for string orchestra and piano, concerto for brass and orchestra (1983), Portrait of Rodin for orchestra (1984), horn concerto (1992).

Cantata Visions of Poets, a dramatic cantata (1961).

Chamber four string quartets (1951, 1955, 1982, 1989), three violin sonatas (1953, 1972, 1991), cello sonata (1981), piano trio (1983), four piano sonatas (1949, 1950, 1956, 1963), violin sonata, piano music.