DiJulio, Max, 1919-2005

Composer Massimo "Max" Joseph DiJulio was born in 1919, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He took up the trumpet as a boy and turned professional while still in high school. During World War Two he served with a military band under the direction of Glenn Miller. After his tour of duty, he settled in Denver, Colorado where he served as the Director of the Fine Arts Department at Loretto Heights College for over thirty years. He also served as Music Director of the Denver Post Opera.

DiJulio both composed and arranged music in a variety of settings and conducted concerts around the United States. He was active with the Denver Symphony Orchestra and closely associated with the Metropolitan State University (MSU) of Denver. In 1955, he led a birthday concert for President Eisenhower. DiJulio was presented a Spirit of Loretto Award from Regis University, the Larry Tajiri Award for distinguished arts achievement and the Cavaliere by the Republic of Italy. In his later years, he became a prominent patron of the arts as well, providing assistance to many area cultural organizations. He positively influenced many lives through his musical skills and his teaching. His philanthropic legacy continues through the Max DiJulio Fund and various music scolarships at MSU Denver.

Through his friendships with many of the music faculty at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), he chose the Arnold Shaw Center as the repository for his manuscripts. DiJulio started a composing competition for students in the UNLV music department, which included a $1,000 prize for the winner. His family continued this tradition, increasing the prize money to $3,000.

Max DiJulio passed away in January, 2005.