Sterne, Teresa.

Teresa Sterne, a pioneering producer of classical music, was director of Nonesuch Records from 1965 to 1979.

Sterne was born in Brooklyn on March 29, 1927. She made her professional debut as a pianist in 1939 with the NBC Symphony Orchestra at Madison Square Garden. In 1965, Sterne was invited to take charge of the Nonesuch label, then a subsidiary of Elektra Records. Using her close ties with composers and performers, Sterne turned the small budget label into one of the most adventurous companies in the recording business. Through Sterne's efforts, Nonesuch releases helped raise the profile of music neglected by the major labels, particularly contemporary music and American vernacular music. Sterne commissioned works by American composers, issued recordings of lesser-known works by major composers, was in the forefront of the early instrument movement, and introduced world music to a wider audience. Sterne was fired from Nonesuch in 1979, despite protest within the classical music community. She died at her home in Manhattan on December 10, 2000.