Gunther Alexander Schuller (November 22, 1925 – June 21, 2015)[1] was an American composer, conductor, horn player, author, historian, educator, publisher, and jazz musician.

While lecturing at Brandeis University in 1957, he coined the term "Third Stream" to describe music that combines classical and jazz techniques.

[7] He became an enthusiastic advocate of this style and wrote many works according to its principles, among them Transformation (1957, for jazz ensemble),[8] Concertino (1959, for jazz quartet and orchestra),[9] Abstraction (1959, for nine instruments),[10] and Variants on a Theme of Thelonious Monk (1960, for 13 instruments) utilizing Eric Dolphy and Ornette Coleman.

"[18] Schuller was editor-in-chief of Jazz Masterworks Editions, and co-director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra[19] in Washington, D.C. Another effort of preservation was his editing and posthumous premiering at Lincoln Center in 1989 of Charles Mingus's immense final work, Epitaph, subsequently released on Columbia/Sony Records.

[22] His students included Irwin Swack,[23] Ralph Patt,[24] John Ferritto, Mohammed Fairouz, Gitta Steiner, Oliver Knussen, Nancy Zeltsman, Riccardo Dalli Cardillo[25] and hundreds of others.

From 1993 until his death, Schuller served as Artistic Director for the Northwest Bach Festival in Spokane, Washington state.

Other notable performances Schuller conducted at the festival include the St Matthew Passion in 2008 and Handel's Messiah in 2005.

[28] In 2005, the Boston Symphony, New England Conservatory, and Harvard University presented a festival of Schuller's music, curated by Bruce Brubaker, titled "I Hear America."

With Gigi Gryce all tracks appearing on "Nica's Tempo" With John Lewis With Mitch Miller With Frank Sinatra With others