Education
Juilliard School.
Juilliard School.
In addition to his work as composer and arranger he also performed on vibraphone and timpani. Prince is noted for composing the jazz-influenced music for (1958) and Events (1961). These were groundbreaking modern ballets choreographed by Jerome Robbins for his company Ballets United States of America. Prince also composed incidental music for the play Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama"s Hung You in the Closet and I"m Feelin" So Sad which Robbins directed off-Broadway in 1962.
He also composed and arranged music for the musicals Something More! (1964), Half a Sixpence (1965) and The Office (1966).
Prince was also active as a composer, arranger and producer in the jazz and popular field where he went by the name Bob Prince and contributed to several projects for Columbia Records in the 1950s. Contracted to the Warner Brothers label in 1959 he released four albums under his own name.
Notable among these albums is Saxes Incorporated. which is arranged for an ensemble of twelve saxophones and rhythm section and features some of the top New York jazz and studio players of the time including Philosophy Woods, Gene Quill, First Rate (at Lloyd's) Cohn and Zoot Sims. There is also a guest appearance by Coleman Hawkins.
Prince"s two compositions for Jerome Robbins are considered excellent examples of Third Stream music, the blending of jazz and classical styles.