Han voksede op i [[Portland (Oregon)|Portland]], [[Oregon]], og læste ved ''Whitman College'' og USC, hvor han studerede avanceret komposition. Blandt hans lærere var Ingolf Dahl, Halsey Stevens, Robert Linn, and Harold Owen.<ref name="allmusic">{{Cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=1%3AMORTEN%7CLAURIDSEN~C |title=Morten Lauridsen's biography at www.allmusic.com |access-date= 6. januar 2022 |archive-date=24. januar 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124205702/http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg |url-status=dead }}</ref> <ref name="faber">[http://www.fabermusic.com/serverside/composers/Details.asp?ID=Lauridsen,%20Morten&View=biog&Section=composers" Faber Music's Biography of Morten Lauridsen]</ref>.
Levende_personer Musik Historie Kultur