Richard Wernick

Richard Wernick (born January 16, 1934) in Boston, Massachusetts is an American composer. He is best known for his chamber and vocal works. His composition Visions of Terror and Wonder won the 1977 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Wernick began his musical studies playing the piano at age 11. His high school music theory teacher took notice of his abilities, and introduced him to Irving Fine, who was a composition professor at Harvard University at the time. Wernick went on to complete his undergraduate studies with Fine at Brandeis University. While at Brandeis, Wernick also studied with Harold Shapero, Arthur Berger, and Leonard Bernstein. His studies at Tanglewood included composition work with , Aaron Copland, and Boris Blacher and conducting studies with Leonard Bernstein and Seymour Lipkin. Wernick also studied at Mills College with Leon Kirchner.

During the 1950s and early 1960s, Wernick worked as a theater, film, television, and dance composer. His output during this time includes the film score for the short comedy A Bowl of Cherries.

Wernick spent much of his career as a composition professor, teaching at SUNY Buffalo (1964-1965) and the University of Chicago (1965-1968). However, his longest tenure was at the University of Pennsylvania, from 1968 to 1996. For his notable students, See: List of music students by teacher: T to Z#Richard Wernick. David Patrick Stearns of The Philadelphia Inquirer considered Wernick's time at University of Pennsylvania, especially during the 1970s, to represent the height of his compositional influence as part of the University's composition "triumvirate" (Wernick, George Crumb, and George Rochberg).

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