Oberlin Conservatory Community Mourns the Loss of Retired Professor Randolph Coleman

Coleman left a lasting legacy in the Conservatory, having created the two-year module program in composition that shaped how students learned for 20 years. He served as chair of the Composition Department for many years and directed the InterArts Program, which later evolved into TIMARA (Technology in Music and Related Arts).

“Randy was ever a vibrant presence a presence that inspired generations of students, animated faculty discussion, rejoiced in music and the life of the mind, and was born of a deep understanding of the human experience,” says Steven Plank, Oberlin professor of musicology. “He was legendary for his love of conversation, conversations that roamed over vast swaths of the intellectual landscape and then easily pivoted to last night's baseball game. His greatest gift was his capacity to be a generous and caring friend.”

Coleman championed new music throughout his career – launching concert series like Contemporary Focus and New Directions, which brought together music, dance, film, and theater. In 1985, he developed a set of eight rotating technical modules for first- and second-year composition students – an approach that emphasized peer learning and helped define Oberlin’s innovative spirit.

His compositions were performed widely in the U.S. and Europe by ensembles including the Boston Symphony, Brooklyn Philharmonic, Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Xenakis Ensemble, Eighth Blackbird, and many more. Multiple dance companies choreographed and performed his works, including ODC San Francisco, Cleveland Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Dance Company, and GroundWorks.

Coleman had a deep love for collaborative projects and worked on theatrical productions like The Oresteia and The Donner Party with director Herbert Blau and the experimental theatre company Kraken—whose members included Bill Irwin and Julie Taymor.

He was a founding chair of the Society of Composers, Inc. (formerly the American Society of University Composers), and held residencies at institutions across the globe—from the University of Michigan and Yale to the Doge Palace in Venice and the Rockefeller Center in Bellagio, Italy.

Originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, Coleman studied at the University of Virginia and later earned graduate degrees from Northwestern University. His family will hold a private service and in the coming months his former students are planning a memorial concert.