1996 Commissioned Composer

A native of Milwaukee, Lee R. Kesselman now lives in Glen Ellyn, a suburb of Chicago, where he has been director of choral activities at College of DuPage since 1981.  Conductor, pianist, teacher and award-winning composer, he founded and directs the New Classic Singers, a professional choral ensemble, with a love for the vocal art and interests in a great breadth of literature.  Known for his original works, folk-song arrangements, editions, and awareness of historical and international styles, Kesselman's compositions have been published by Boosey & Hawkes, Lawson-Gould, Plymouth Music and Classic Artists Publishing.  He is a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, and a member of the faculty of the CME Institute for Teacher Training since its inception in 1986.

“Lee Kesselman’s deeply intelligent and heart warming works offer singers of every age a wealth of new ideas.”—Doreen Rao

There Will Be Stars Forever—commissioned for YNS in 1996