‘I’m Done With Art:’ The Incredible Life And Music Of Victor Young

By the time I was born, Victor Young had been gone for several years. Musical tributes to him were being released by devoted colleagues, but the industry was moving on to ‘upbeat’ scoring methods, where electric guitars, harpsichords, and bongos were featured. Classical scores in the sweeping orchestral style that Young exemplified were in less demand. In the six decades since his death, those who knew him best, those familiar with the industry, and with music composition itself, never found the time to write the comprehensive biography that we all wish was written. Encouraged by members of his family and some Polish musicians I’ve met, I’ve taken on this challenge in a small, focused way, because I fell in love with his music, specifically Stella by Starlight, and want to bring more attention to his vast accomplishments.

I first heard Stella in 1983 while watching The Uninvited on late‐night television, taking a break from studying Quantum Mechanics. My Chemistry thesis advisor taught me how to do research, and I am bringing this discipline and method to uncovering some of Mr. Young’s amazing life and work, and particularly to illuminate some of those little details that were a part of his unique adventure, which I so enjoy reading in biographies. If some future reader gets inspired to follow in Young’s footsteps, or to work harder following their own dream, or to research the technical aspects of his work more deeply, or to discover a piece of Young’s music they never heard before, so much the better. My goal for writing this biography will be achieved.