ALLEN YOUNG PAPERS

Allen Young was born in Washington, D.C. on July 4, 1918. As a child, Young lived in Honduras and China. He attended Shanghai American School (1929-1936), Webb School of California (1936-1937) and Occidental College (1937-1940) with one summer school session at the University of California in 1939. Young studied English and political science at the University of Chicago (1940 to 1941). His studies at the University of Chicago were interrupted from 1941 to 1945 by a military assignment in the Aleutians and Okinawa with the 802nd Aviation Engineers. He returned to the University of Chicago in 1946. Allen Young also studied at the University of Denver in 1947. On June 24, 1950, he married Barbara Stroup. He attended the University of Colorado at Denver (1964-1966).

Young’s journalistic career began in 1947 with the position of Assistant Librarian at The Denver Post. While in this position, he began writing music, theater and film articles and reviews for The Denver Post in 1948. By 1955, he was The Denver Post music columnist. From 1953 to 1957, Young also hosted a weekly radio program on KFML. He reviewed the latest musical recordings on the program. In 1957, he left The Denver Post and became public relations representative for the Music Associates of Aspen.

Later in 1957, he created The Lively Arts magazine and served as editor/publisher for its 90 issues until October 1959. From November 1959 to September 1963, he wrote the column, The Arts Sometimes Lively for Cervi’s Journal. During the 1960s, he served as the Denver correspondent for Musical America and Opera News. Concurrently, he wrote as a free-lance journalist and columnist for Time Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, Sentinel newspapers, The Daily Journal, Straight Creek Journal and City Edition. In 1963, Young Audiences, Inc. hired him as Executive Director. He remained in that position until 1972.

From June 1973 until November 1980, he worked as Assistant Editor for the Colorado Medical Society’s publication, Rocky Mountain Medical Journal. Starting in 1963, he became a Denver correspondent for Variety for radio and television and in 1980 expanded responsibilities to include Denver music and film. Allen continues to write for this publication as of 2001. From November 1983 to July 1996, Young also wrote freelance music reviews for the Rocky Mountain News.

Over the course of his journalistic career, Young reviewed operas, plays, musicals, concerts, dance performances and art exhibits. He covered Aspen and Colorado Music Festivals, Santa Fe and Central City Opera productions and premiers such as Stagecoach. He interviewed many personalities from Denver’s performing arts communities such as Frank Ricketson, Robert Darling, Nathaniel Merrill and John Moriarity.

Young has been a board member of The Allied Arts, Incorporated 1966 to 2001. During that period, he served as President from 1974 to 1991 and as President Emeritus from 1991 to 2001. In 1996, he authored a history of this organization entitled, The Allied Arts, Inc. 1920-1995. As a member of the Friends of Chamber Music from 1965 to 2001, Allen Young served on the Board of Directors and contributed program notes to their performances. He also joined Friends of Painting and Sculpture for the Denver Art Museum.

In 1993, Young published a book, Opera in Central City. This book provides information on the history of the Central City Opera House Association and chronicles the opera and theater productions at Central City between 1932 and 1993. The publication combines history, legends, and personal recollections and observations about the opera world in Central City.

At present, Allen Young resides with his wife, Barbara, in Denver, Colorado. Currently, he is working on a book that will trace the history of opera in Denver.