Background
Dempster, Stuart Ross was born on July 7, 1936 in Berkeley, California, United States. Son of Fred Harper and Kathryn Emlyn (Shepardson) Dempster.
composer music educator trombonist
Dempster, Stuart Ross was born on July 7, 1936 in Berkeley, California, United States. Son of Fred Harper and Kathryn Emlyn (Shepardson) Dempster.
After Dempster completed his studies at San Francisco State College, he was appointed assistant professor at the California State College at Hayward, and instructor at the San Francisco Conservatory (1960-1966).
The following year he was appointed assistant professor at the University of Washington, in Seattle, where he was promoted to full professor in 1985. In 1971-1972 he was a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois, and in 1973 he was a senior Fulbright scholar to Australia (Tarr 2001). In 1979 the University of California Press published his book, The Modern Trombone: A Definition of Its Idioms.
He has commissioned and performed works by Luciano Berio, Rob du Bois, Donald Erb, Robert Erickson, Andrew Imbrie, Ernst Krenek, and Robert Suderburg.
He commissioned Theater Piece for Trombone Player (1966) from Oliveros and choreographer Elizabeth Harris. He is credited with introducing the didjeridu to North America (Ross 2008, p 66).
Epitonic: Stuart Dempster featuring “Morning Light” and “Didjerilayover” from Underground Overlays from the Cistern Chapel. Art of the States: Stuart Dempster General Speech (1969) by Robert Erickson.
Board of directors Artist Trust, Seattle, 1986-1989. With United States Army, 1958-1960. Member International Trombone Association, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
Married Renko Carolyn Ishida, December 19, 1964. Children: Brian Komei, Loren Kiyoshi.