Help
Skip to main content

Mel Powell

Born: 12th February 1923, New York

Died: 24th April 1998, California

Nationality: American

Mel Powell (born Melvin Epstein) was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, and the founding dean of the music department at the California Institute of the Arts. He served as a music educator for over 40 years, first at Mannes College of Music and Queens College, then Yale University, and finally at CalArts. During his early career he worked as a jazz pianist.