William Russo (June 25, 1928 – 2003) – A legendary composer, musician and educator, Russo’s lasting contributions to jazz and classical music include compositions like Halls of Brass, the rock cantata The Civil War, and Symphony No. 2 in C (TITANS). Russo began composing at the age of 13 and by 1950 was playing and arranging for the legendary Stan Kenton Orchestra. He went on to found the London Jazz Orchestra, The Chicago Jazz Ensemble, and Columbia College’s music department – where he was the college’s first full-time faculty member. Russo was also the Director of Orchestral Studies at Scuola Europea d’Orchestra Jazz in Palermo, Italy. Russo received a Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement, a career that included more than 200 compositions, over 30 recordings of his work, and three books: Composing for the Jazz Orchestra; Jazz Composition and Orchestration; and Composing Music: A New Approach.