Born in Stamford, Connecticut, Allan Schindler pursued his undergraduate education at Oberlin College and his masters and doctoral studies in composition and musicology at the University of Chicago, where he studied with Ralph Shapey and Richard Wernick. He came to Eastman in 1978, where he taught composition and directed the Eastman Computer Music Center. He retired from Eastman in 2015, when he was named Professor Emeritus of Composition, and died on October 8, 2018.
Allan Schindler’s imaginative musical compositions, including purely acoustic works, works that feature or employ computer music resources, and multimedia compositions that include video/film or dance, have been performed throughout the world, and won numerous prizes and awards. Schindler was a founder and co-director of the ImageMovementSound Festival, which for twelve years sponsored the creation and presentation of innovative collaborative works incorporating music, film, and dance.
Allan Schindler served on the governing, advisory, editorial, and selection committees of numerous new music, computer music, composition, and foundation organizations and competitions. His publications include the music appreciation text Listening to Music, and articles, essays and reviews in professional journals, The Academic American Encyclopedia, and festival publications.