Lukas Foss (1922-2009)

Lukas Foss, the German-born American composer whose work spanned serial, neoclassical and minimalist styles, died Feb. 1 at the age of 86. Foss also was active as a teacher, pianist and conductor, serving as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic (1963-70), Milwaukee Symphony (1980-86) and the Brooklyn Philharmonia, predecessor of the Brooklyn Philharmonic (1971-90).

His obituary in The New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/02/arts/music/02foss.html?_r=1&ref=music

UPDATE: "What Foss really wanted was to make the unexpected seem inevitable," Matthew Guerrieri, who studied with the composer, writes in The Boston Globe:

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2009/02/07/a_master_of_musics_complexities/