Northwestern University Music, Literature, and Arts
by Sylviastel | created - 28 Jan 2015 | updated - 02 Feb 2015 | PublicJack Anderson; New York Times dance critic.
Ernst Bacon; composer
Mary Jo Bang; BA MA; 2007 National Book Critics Circle Award winner for poetry collection, "Elegy;" English professor at Washington University in St. Louis.
Chris Bliss; juggler
William Butler; BA 2005; Arcade Fire band member.
Mark Camphouse; composer and conductor.
Dan Chaon; author
Andrew Clements; author
Julia Davids; founding member and Artistic director of the Canadian Chamber Choir.
Cynthia Dobrinski; handbell composer and clinician.
Ivan Doig; BSJ, MSJ; novelist.
Shari Goldhagen; author.
James Green (BA 1996) author.
Amir Hamed; Uruguaya writer.
Myron Hunt; architect.
Payal Kapadia; MSJ 1999; author, winner of the 2013 Crossword Book Award for Children's Writing in India.
Brendan Kelly; member of the Lawrence Arms.
Ardis Krainik; BS 1951; former General Manager of Chicago Lyric Opera.
Karen A. Page; writer.
Tina Rosenberg; BA 1981, MSJ; Pulitzer Prize winning author and journalist.
William M. Runyan; Christian songwriter who composed 'Great is Thy Faithfulness.'
Warren Spector; game designer.
Michael Sprinker; former literary theorist.
Trevanian; author.
Thomas Tyra; BA 1954; MA 1955; composer, music educator, bandmaster.
Kate Walbert; BA 1983; National Book Award nominated writer.
Margaret Walker; BA 1935; poet and author.
Claire Zulkey; author.
1. Steve Albini
Soundtrack | Girl on the Third Floor
Steve Albini was born on July 22, 1962 in Pasadena, California, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Girl on the Third Floor (2019), Hustler White (1996) and Bush: Mouth (1997).
2. Marie Arana
Writer | Girl Rising
Marie Arana is known for Girl Rising (2013) and The Liberation of One: The Defection of Romuald Spasowski. She has been married to Jonathan Yardley since March 21, 1999.
editor of the Washington Post Book World; Author of the National Book Award finalist, American Chica and the Cellophane novel.
3. Steven Bach
Producer | Mr. Billion
Steven Bach was born on April 29, 1938 in Pocatello, Idaho, USA. He was a producer and writer, known for Mr. Billion (1977), Butch and Sundance: The Early Days (1979) and Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate (2004). He was married to Werner Rohr. He died on March 25, 2009 in ...
BA 1961;
4. Saul Bellow
Actor | Zelig
Saul Bellow was born on July 10, 1915 in Lachine, Québec, Canada [now Lachine, Montréal, Québec, Canada]. He was a writer and actor, known for Zelig (1983), Henderson the Rain King and Thirty-Minute Theatre (1965). He was married to Janis Bellow, Alexandra Ionesco Tuleca, Susan Glassman, Alexandra ...
BA 1937; Nobel Laureate
5. Andrew Bird
Soundtrack | The Muppets
Andrew Bird was born on July 11, 1973 in Illinois, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for The Muppets (2011), Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011) and MacGruber (2010).
BM 1995; singer songwriter.
6. Anthony Bozza
Writer | Rockville CA
Anthony Bozza is known for Rockville CA (2009), Blue Gold: American Jeans (2014) and Dark Side of Comedy (2022).
music journalist.
7. Grace Bumbry
Soundtrack | The Hudsucker Proxy
Grace Bumbry was born on January 4, 1937 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. She was an actress, known for The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Carmen (1968) and Aïda (1977). She was married to Erwin Jaeckel. She died on May 7, 2023 in Vienna, Austria.
mezzo soprano
8. Robert Olen Butler
Writer | Staying the Course
Robert Olen Butler is known for Staying the Course (2008), Jealous Husband Returns (2009) and Decalogue.
BS 1967; Pulitzer Price winning author.
9. Lydia R. Diamond
Producer | The Affair
Lydia R. Diamond is known for The Affair (2014), Tokyo Vice (2022) and My America (2012).
BS 1992; playwright and Boston University professor.
10. Tananarive Due
Writer | The Twilight Zone
Tananarive Due is known for The Twilight Zone (2019), Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019) and The Good House. She has been married to Steven Barnes since August 1, 1998. They have one child.
11. Andy Duncan
Soundtrack | The Keeper
Andy Duncan is known for The Keeper (2004) and Breaking Glass (1980).
former member of OK Go.
12. Mary Dunleavy
Actress | Lincoln
Mary Dunleavy is known for Lincoln (2012), The Metropolitan Opera Presents (1977) and Cinderella (2018).
soprano
13. Wilma Dykeman
Self | The Electric Valley
Wilma Dykeman was born on May 20, 1920 in Asheville, North Carolina, USA. She was married to James R. Stokely Jr.. She died on December 22, 2006 in Asheville, North Carolina, USA.
writer
14. Timothy Ferris
Writer | Dark Universe
Timothy Ferris is known for Dark Universe (2013), Seeing in the Dark (2007) and Life Beyond Earth (1998).
science author
15. William R. Ferris
William R. Ferris is known for The Color Purple (1985), James Sonny Ford James, Delta Artist (1969) and Give My Poor Heart Ease (1977).
MA 1965; former chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
16. Gillian Flynn
Writer | Gone Girl
Gillian Flynn was born on February 24, 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. She is a writer and producer, known for Gone Girl (2014), Widows (2018) and Sharp Objects (2018). She has been married to Brett Nolan since 2007. They have two children.
MS; former Entertainment Weekly television critic.
17. Kyle Gann
Composer | The Planets
Kyle Gann is known for The Planets (2011), Trimpin: The Sound of Invention (2009) and Tones, Drones and Arpeggios: The Magic of Minimalism (2018).
composer, microtonalist.
18. Chester Gould
Writer | Dick Tracy
Chester Gould was interested in comics from an early age. He wrote and drew several strips while attending Oklahoma A&M University and at Northwestern University (where he graduated in 1921). After graduating from the Chicago Art Institute in 1923, Gould went to work for a Chicago area newspaper. ...
cartoonist
actor and author
20. Howard Hanson
Soundtrack | Alien
Composer, conductor and educator, himself educated at the University of Nebraska School of Music (with an honorary Music Degree), Juilliard, Northwestern University (honorary Music Degree), the American Academy (Prix de Rome), Syracuse University, the Horner Institute, Augustana College and ...
composer
21. Aleksandar Hemon
Writer | The Matrix Resurrections
Hemon was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, then Yugoslavi. He graduated from the University of Sarajevo and was a published writer in former Yugoslavia by the time he was 26. Since 1992 he has lived in the United States, where he found himself as a tourist and became stranded at the ...
MA 1996; author and MacArthur Fellow.
22. Sheldon Harnick
Soundtrack | Fiddler on the Roof
Sheldon Harnick was born on April 30, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was a writer and composer, known for Fiddler on the Roof (1971), Election (1999) and Beautiful Boy (2018). He was married to Margery Gray, Elaine May and Mary Elizabeth Boatner. He died on June 23, 2023 in Manhattan, New York ...
lyricist
23. Jay Krush
Music_department | American Experience
Jay Krush is known for American Experience (1987) and Eatala: A Life in Klezmer (2011).
tubist
24. William Lava
Soundtrack | A Serious Man
He was an extremely prolific and capable film composer, educated at Northwestern University. He studied conducting with Albert Coates, and came to Hollywood in 1936. His chief collaborators were Harry Tobias, Stan Jones, Max Steiner, Sammy Cahn, Franz Waxman, Henry Mancini, Ray Heindorf, and Frank ...
25. Laura Lippman
Writer | Lady in the Lake
Laura Lippman was born on January 31, 1959 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is a writer and producer, known for Lady in the Lake, Every Secret Thing (2014) and The Wire (2002). She is married to David Simon. They have one child.
BSJ; mystery novelist.
26. Margaret Lloyd
Actress | Great Performances
Margaret Lloyd is known for Great Performances (1971) and CyberMage: Darklight Awakening (1995).
soprano
27. George R.R. Martin
Writer | Game of Thrones
George R.R. Martin is an American novelist and short-story writer in the fantasy, horror, and science fiction genres, a screenwriter, and television producer. He is known for his international bestselling series of epic fantasy novels, A Song of Ice and Fire, which was later adapted into the HBO ...
BSJ 1970; MSJ 1971; author.
28. Luke Matheny
Director | God of Love
Luke Matheny was born on December 23, 1976 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a producer and director, known for God of Love (2010), Gortimer Gibbon's Life on Normal Street (2014) and Ghostwriter (2019).
BSJ 1997.
29. Sherrill Milnes
Actor | Tosca
Sherrill Milnes was born on January 10, 1935 in Downers Grove, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for Tosca (1988), Quartet (2012) and How Much Do You Love Me? (2005).
baritone
31. Audrey Niffenegger
Writer | The Time Traveler's Wife
Audrey Niffenegger was born on June 13, 1963 in South Haven, Michigan, USA. She is a writer and producer, known for The Time Traveler's Wife (2009), The Time Traveler's Wife (2022) and Jakob and the Angels (2007).
MFA 1991.
32. Bruce Norris
Actor | The Sixth Sense
Bruce Norris was born on May 16, 1960 in Houston, Texas, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for The Sixth Sense (1999), A Civil Action (1998) and All Good Things (2010).
BA 1982;
BSJ 1986; novelist.
34. Marge Piercy
Writer | The Bonsai Tree
Marge Piercy was born on March 31, 1936 in the USA. She is a writer, known for The Bonsai Tree (1989), To be of use (2020) and Bookmark (1983).
novelist and poet.
35. Neal Pollack
Writer | Alternadad
Neal Pollack is known for Alternadad, Sodom by the Sea (2008) and The Daily Show (1996).
BSJ 1992; satirical author and journalist.
36. Joshua Radin
Soundtrack | Dear John
Joshua Radin is known for Dear John (2010), Adam (2009) and The Lucky One (2012).
singer songwriter.
37. Kathy Reichs
Writer | Bones
Kathy Reichs was born on July 7, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is a writer and producer, known for Bones (2005), Crime Connections (2012) and Equinox (1986). She has been married to Paul Aivars Reichs since 1968. They have three children.
author
38. Steve Rodby
Music_department | The Falcon and the Snowman
Steve Rodby is known for The Falcon and the Snowman (1985), Pat Metheny: The Unity Sessions (2015) and A Map of the World (1999).
jazz bassist
39. Ned Rorem
Composer | Ned Rorem: Word & Music
Ned Rorem was born on October 23, 1923 in Richmond, Indiana, USA. He was a composer, known for Ned Rorem: Word & Music (2005), Furies (1978) and Nuit américaine (2005). He died on November 18, 2022 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.
composer
40. Veronica Roth
Writer | Divergent
Veronica Roth was born on August 19, 1988 in New York, New York, USA. She is a writer and actress, known for Divergent (2014), The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015) and Allegiant (2016).
New York Times best selling author.
41. Karen Russell
Writer | St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
Karen Russell is known for St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves and Articulate with Jim Cotter (2015).
BA 2003; author
42. Thom Russo
Music_department | Battleship
Thom Russo is a multi-Grammy award-winning American record producer, composer, programmer, songwriter, and mixer.
He is originally from Cleveland, Ohio; he studied computer music and music theory at Northwestern University, in Chicago, Illinois.
Russo is best known for a widely diverse career, ...
BA 1988; Grammy winning record producer, mixer, and musician.
43. David Sanborn
Soundtrack | Lethal Weapon 2
David Sanborn is an American alto saxophonist.
Though Sanborn has worked in many genres, his solo recordings typically blend jazz with instrumental pop and R&B. He released his first solo album Taking Off in 1975, but has been playing the saxophone since before he was in high school.
One of the most ...
saxophonist.
44. Joseph Schwantner
Composer | All-Star Orchestra
Joseph Schwantner was born on March 22, 1943 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Joseph is a composer, known for All-Star Orchestra (2013).
composer
45. Sandra Seacat
Actress | Crazy in Alabama
From the mid-1970s on, Sandra Seacat has been one of America's more sought-after and influential acting teachers/coaches. A method-based actor and teacher, closely associated with the Method's originator, her mentor Lee Strasberg, Seacat gradually became recognized as well for her groundbreaking ...
actress, acting teacher, coach, director.
46. Sidney Sheldon
Writer | Easter Parade
Sheldon was born in Chicago on February 17, 1917. He began writing as a youngster and at the age of ten he made his first sale of a poem for $10. During the Depression, he worked at a variety of jobs and while attending Northwestern University he contributed short plays to drama groups.
At seventeen...
author; never graduated.
47. Philip Skinner
Actor | La Rondine
Philip Skinner is known for La Rondine (2009), L'africaine (1989) and BBC Cardiff Singer of the World (1983).
opera singer.
48. Jon Solomon
Music_department | Saving Face
Jon Solomon is known for Saving Face (2004), A Dirty Shame (2004) and Rx (2005).
DJ and record label owner.
BA Film 1989; singer, songwriter, lead vocalist of Dog Eye's View.
50. Frederick Swann
Location_management | Fantasy Island
Frederick Swann is known for Fantasy Island (2020), Wrecked (2016) and Sweetheart (2019).
organist and President of the American Guild of Organists.
51. Jerod Tate
Music_department | To the Wonder
Praised and honored for "his ability to effectively infuse classical music with American Indian nationalism (Washington Post, Nov. 23, 2005)," Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate, born in 1968 in Norman, Oklahoma, is a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation and its Composer-in-Residence. Tate is dedicated to the...
composer
52. Augusta Read Thomas
Composer | All-Star Orchestra
Augusta Read Thomas is known for All-Star Orchestra (2013) and Inside New Music: The University of Chicago's Contempo Celebrates Fifty Years (2015).
BM 1987; composer.
53. Walter Wager
Writer | Die Hard 2
Graduated from Harvard Law School. Was a Fullbright Fellow at the Sorbonne in Paris, and diplomatic advisor to Israel's Director of Civil Aviation, and editor of "Playbill" & "Show". Has written articles to magazines, written novles under a psuedonym and written documetaries for television and for ...
author.
54. Nike Wagner
Self | Lesen! Mit Elke Heidenreich
Nike Wagner was born on June 9, 1945 in Überlingen, Baden [now Baden-Württemberg], Germany. She is married to Jürg Stenzl. She was previously married to Jean Launay.
author.
55. Doug Wamble
Music_department | Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Doug Wamble is known for Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020), The Subject (2020) and The Central Park Five (2012). He has been married to Morgan James since 2016.
M.M. 1997; musician and composer.
56. Joshua Weiner
Writer | The Grid
Joshua Weiner is known for The Grid (2010) and The Mobile Oval (2016).
BA 1985; poet, author.
57. Paul Winter
Music_department | Pokhorony Stalina
Paul Winter is known for Pokhorony Stalina (1990), Tatort (1970) and Rúzs (1993).
musician.
58. Rachael Yamagata
Soundtrack | Hope Springs
Husky-voiced singer, songwriter, pianist, and guitarist Rachael Yamagata was born on September 23, 1977 in Arlington, Virginia. Her father is a Japanese-American attorney and Harvard graduate who works in Washington, D.C. while her mother is a German-Italian artist and painter based in New York ...
BS 1997; musician.
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