Cecil Effinger

Cecil Effinger was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado; he resided in the state for most of his life. The son of musicians and teachers, he initially studied mathematics at Colorado College, receiving a BA in 1935. He had studied harmony and counterpoint with Frederick Boothroyd in 1934–36, and went to Paris in 1939 to study composition with Nadia Boulanger. He was first oboe in the orchestras of Colorado Springs (1934–41) and Denver (1937–41) and taught at the Colorado College. Later, he was professor of composition at the University of Colorado in Boulder. He remained in that position, becoming the head of the composition department until 1981, and was composer-in-residence there until his retirement in 1984.