Dorrance Stalvey was director of Music Programs at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art from 1984 until his death in July of 2005. He had been producing concerts since1970 in addition to pursuing two additional careers as composer and educator. He was a professor at Immaculate Heart College from 1968 to 1980 and had faculty positions at Pomona College (1968-69) and the University of Southern California (1981 & 1982). His compositions are in various media and forms: chamber, solo, vocal, orchestral, electronic, music-theater, multi-media, and dance, with performances of his works in over 20 countries. He was working on his first opera, Kursk, when he passed away and, although unfinished, there are plans for performance.

Stalvey was actively involved in the promotion of contemporary music through the many concerts he produced and presented as the director of Monday Evening Concerts (he and the series received six ASCAP/CMA Awards for Adventurous Programming, the most recent for the 02-03 season). He participated in new-music seminars and served on numerous advisory panels, including 8 years as a panelist and consultant for the NEA, to encourage the propagation of contemporary music.

Among his honors and awards, in addition to the previously mentioned ASCAP/ CMA prizes, are ASCAP Composer Awards (yearly since 1977), three NEA Composer Fellowship Grants (two in the mid-70s and one in the 90s), a League-ISCM Commendation (1976), and a Prince Ranier de Monaco Composition Award (1961).