Ira-Paul Schwarz (1922-2006) was emeritus professor of music and theatre, and composer-in-residence , State University of New York College at Brockport. His composition teachers have included Nadia Boulanger, Phillip Bezanson, G. Thaddeus Jones, and Richard Herwig. He had degrees from Morningside College (BA), the University of South Dakota (MA), and the University of Iowa (Ph.D.), and took post-doctoral studies at Eastman School of Music and Harvard University. His compositional interests encompassed virtually all vocal and instrumental genres, including electro-acoustic music.