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Biography
Composer, conductor, and educator Philip Westin (b. 1945), earned Bachelor of Music degrees in Composition and Church & Choral Music in 1968 from the University of Southern California. In 1970, he earned a Master of Music degree in Composition, also from USC.
Westin began studying composition at USC with Robert Linn and later studied with Halsey Stevens. In 1968, Ingolf Dahl conducted the world premiere of Westin's Venite, for soloists, chorus and large symphony orchestra at Bovard Auditorium on the USC campus. Dahl became Westin's mentor, and he began an intense period of private composition and conducting study with him.
In addition to studying conducting with Dahl, he also studied conducting with Walter Ducloux, Daniel Lewis, and Charles C. Hirt. Following Dahl's untimely death in 1970, Westin composed In Memoriam ~ Ingolf Dahl for symphonic wind ensemble, and for three years he continued private composition wtudy with composer Roy Harris.
In 1985, Westin decided to pursue a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership, and he completed the degree at the University of La Verne in 1990. In 1992, he earned a post-doctoral certificate in the Management of Lifelong Education at Harvard University.
While at Cerritos College, Westin was commissioned to compose numerous works by the California Wind Symphony, the Eastern Brass Quintet, California State University Long Beach, St. John's Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, and pianist Robert Bowman.
In addition, Westin was asked by composer William Schuman to orchestrate the 2nd and 3rd movements of his (Schuman's) orchestral work, Credendum for Symphonic Wind Ensemble, which was premiered by the California Wind Symphony at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Los Angeles Music Center with Westin conducting and Schuman in attendance.
Upon his retirement from educational leadership positions, Westin again became active in composing. In 2007, he wrote the music for a full-length operetta, Heartland, subsequently realized in a studio demonstration recording. In April, 2008, Heartland was one of four works selected in a national competition to be presented at the ASCAP/Disney Musical Theatre Workshop at Disney Studios in Burbank, led by Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz.
In the summer of 2008, Westin was commissioned by Hector Salazar, Music Director of the Carson-Dominguez Hills Symphony Orchestra, to compose Timothy and the Magic Garden, a work to introduce children to the orchestra. In July, 2010, Westin completed the composition of a full-length opera, Marie's Orchard, commissioned by Center Stage Opera, located in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Based upon Willa Cather's novel, O Pioneers!, the opera was premiered in June 2011 by CSO in a fully-staged production with orchestra, conducted by Brian Onderdonk.
In 2014 he completed another commission by Hector Salazar, Lovers at Daybreak, a concerto for Oboe/English Horn (1 soloist playing both instruments), harp and string orchestra. It was premiered at El Camino College's Center for the Arts on April 6, 2014, with Joseph Stone as soloist.
There are no productions for this artist in the Season Schedule of Performances which currently only dates back to 1991.
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Artist Information
All information is derived from OPERA America's Season Schedule of Performances and titles databases which date back to 1991. OPERA America is constantly updating this data. If you feel that a work or an artist has been omitted or that information is incorrect, please use the linked forms below. Title Information Form Artist Information Form
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