COMPOSER SABRINA PENA YOUNG | MUSIC TECHNOLOGY | FILM | CLASSICAL | OPERA

Ellen Zwilich, the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Composition, is featured as part of Chamber Music Northwest's celebration of women composers at our 2017 Summer Festival, June 26-July 30.  http://cmnw.org/

Although Ellen Taaffe Zwilich has received more accolades than most living composers—the first woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Music and the first composer chair at Carnegie Hall as well as the only living composer ever mentioned in a Peanuts® comic strip—she believes that the pinnacle of success is hearing a wonderful performance of one of her compositions. She considers herself primarily "somebody who writes music for people to play" and her greatest joy is interacting with performers. And to this day, she admits to feeling like "a kid in the candy shop" when she's writing music and will only embark on a compositional project if it gives her goose bumps. 

Jennifer Higdon is one of the most performed living American composers. Her list of commissioners and performing organizations is extensive and includes the Cleveland Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Tokyo String Quartet, the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the President’s Own Marine Band, among others. Higdon received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto, with the committee citing her work as a “deeply engaging piece that combines flowing lyricism with dazzling virtuosity.” Her lecture is co-sponsored by the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra.

Meet George Walker, the first black composer to win the Pulitzer Prize in Music. He won the prize in 1996. He is interviewed here in 2012, just a couple of months shy of his 90th birthday. He reflects on his long career. His 2 sons, Ian and Gregory are also interviewed. His most famous piece of music, the elegaic early "Lyric for Strings," and a recent work commissioned by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, are featured. Walker has lived in Montclair, New Jersey for many years and taught music at Rutgers University in Newark.

Cover of Kaija Saariaho Since our move to Buffalo, NY, life has busy. Check out the latest on music articles, 60x60  and opera production details  for Libertaria: The Virtual Opera. Through Her Eyes: The Composer's Voice A brief overview of prominent composers like Pulitzer-Prize Winner Jennifer Higdon and Australia's Kaija Saariaho , famous for her musical contribution to the Sidney Olympics Opening Ceremony, as well as a short outline of my musical output for International Women's Day. The article includes interesting multimedia links and videos to works by Chen Yi , Alice Shields , and other prominent women in music.  Vox Novus 60x60 As an active member of Vox Novus , a group of composers and musicians who promote new music, I had the opportunity to create an animation for the 60x60 Presenter's Mix and coordinate the 2012 60x60 Athena Mix. I wrote an interesting article about the 60x60 project, and specifically about the Athena Mix for International...