Stephen Abram Jaffe is an American composer of contemporary classical music. He lives in Durham, North Carolina, USA, and serves on the music faculty of Duke University, where he holds the post of Mary and James H. Semans Professor of Music Composition; his colleagues there include composers Scott Lindroth and Anthony Kelley. Jaffe graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1977; he received a master's degree the following year from the same institution. During his time in Pennsylvania, he studied with George Crumb, George Rochberg, and Richard Wernick. Jaffe's music has been performed across the United States, Europe, and China by ensembles including the National Symphony Orchestra, the R.A.I. of Rome, the North Carolina Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, the Miami String Quartet, and the Ciompi Quartet. He has received awards and commissions, and recordings of his works are available, including a three-volume retrospective of his work The Music of Stephen Jaffe from Bridge Records. 

December 30th, 1954 in Washington, D.C. (Age 69)