Lawrence Fritts
FRITTS, HETTMANSPERGER ELSER, TONER, EARLE, STACKHOUSE
Posted By: Sarah Fletcher (email)
Date: 1/23/2025 at 08:58:11
UI Professor Emeritus of Music, Lawrence Fritts, brilliant composer, teacher, and musician, passed away on January 18, 2025, at the age of 72, in Iowa City, with his loving wife, artist Sue Hettmansperger, by his side. Larry’s remarkable life was shaped by a passion for music, an empathic dedication to teaching, and an enduring spirit that never wavered despite a long battle with an autoimmune disorder.
Born in Richland, Washington in 1952, Larry developed a deep love for music at an early age. After the family moved to Beaverton OR he graduated from Sunset High and Portland State University, and taught guitar for many years before continuing his studies in Chicago. At the University of Chicago he studied under distinguished composers such as Shulamit Ran, Ralph Shapey, and John Eaton. Larry’s career flourished as a beloved Professor of Composition at the University of Iowa, where he taught for over two decades before retiring in 2019. He directed the University’s Electronic Music Studios from 1994, fostering a generation of talented musicians and composers with his insightful guidance.
Larry was a gifted composer, known for his adventuresome and groundbreaking works that often-blended traditional instruments, voice, and electronics. His compositions were performed worldwide and can be found on labels including Albany, Innova, Frog Peak, SEAMUS, and Tempo Primo. His innovative work extended beyond music composition; in 1997, he created the University of Iowa Musical Instrument Samples Database, a no-cost pioneering collection of downloadable orchestral instruments recorded in an anechoic chamber that continues to serve musicians and composers today.
Throughout his career, Larry earned numerous accolades, including awards from SEAMUS, the Bourges Electroacoustic Music Competition, the International Look and Listen Festival, and the International Institute for Advanced Studies in Systems Research and Cybernetics. He was particularly interested in the musical applications of mathematical group theory, and his academic contributions included several papers on the subject. Larry also served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Mathematics and Music, where he merged his passions for music and mathematics in ways that inspired others to think beyond conventional boundaries. His personal perspective included his passion for Chicago Blues, as he wrote a book entitled 2000 Blues Licks that Rock. Larry devoted much of his life to strengthening the University of Iowa School of Music by procuring extensive funding through grants, to support the Electronic Music Studios, a program considered to be one of the best in the nation.
Larry’s legacy as a composer, educator, mentor, and friend will be remembered by all who had the privilege to know him. His kindness, intellect, and generous heart touched countless lives. Even as his health declined, his spirit and humor remained unshaken, and he continued to inspire those around him with his passion for music and life.
Honoring his wishes, no public services will be held. In lieu of flowers, Larry requested that donations be made to the Friends of the Animal Center Foundation, PO Box 1345 Iowa City, IA 52244.
Larry is survived by his wife, Sue Hettmansperger, his mother Janet Elser, and siblings Donna Toner, Joan Earle, Karen Stackhouse, Glenn Fritts, and many friends, colleagues, and former students who will carry his memory and work forward. He was preceded in death by his father, Dorance Fritts.
Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service
Johnson Obituaries maintained by Cindy Booth Maher.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen