Joseph Fields, pianist, conductor, composer
NEW YORK - Joseph E. Fields, a pianist, conductor, and composer who was a former music director and principal conductor of Dance Theater of Harlem, died July 4 in Scranton, Pa. He was 53 and had homes in Scranton and New York City.
A family spokesman said Dr. Fields died after a short illness.
After working with Dance Theater of Harlem from 1998 to 2004, he became the orchestra director and administrator of the music school at Marywood University in Scranton in 2005. He was also an associate professor there.
One of his major contributions at Dance Theater came during the company's 2003 Lincoln Center Festival premiere of "St. Louis Woman," a ballet based on the 1946 Broadway musical. Dr. Fields provided orchestration and arrangements of the Broadway score by Harold Arlen and other songs, while writing some original music.
Dr. Fields also conducted orchestras for the company's tours in the United States, Europe, China, and Australia.
