User:Npavkovic/Elinor Armer

Elinor Armer (born October 6, 1939) is a California composer. She studied composition at Mills College with Darius Milhaud and Leon Kirchner, and at San Francisco State University with Roger Nixon. Since 1969 she has taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, founding its Composition Department, which she chaired from 1984-1995. She is known for her collaborative works with author Ursula K. Le Guin.

Orchestral Works

 * Pearl commissioned for Symposium of American Women Composers & Conductors, Eugene, Oregon, 1985
 * Uses of Music in Uttermost Parts (with Ursula K. Le Guin) 99-minute, eight-part series for various instrumental/vocal combinations

Chamber and Solo Instrumental Works

 * Interior Range for ’cello solo; commissioned by Bonnie Hampton in memory of Nathan Schwartz
 * Beast for bass clarinet solo
 * Fantasy for violin, cello, and piano
 * Oasis for harp solo
 * Api (Bees) six movements for violin, viola, and percussion; commissioned by Bettina Mussumeli and Jodi Levitz
 * Taking the Waters on Oling Island for viola solo
 * Tidepool for piano and harpsichord; commissioned by Herbert Bielawa and Sandra Soderlund
 * Thaw
 * String Quartet (1983)
 * Shivaree for flute, horn, violin, viola, and piano; commissioned for Bennington Chamber Music Conference

Vocal

 * A Season of Grief seven songs for low voice and piano; texts by Tennyson and Witter Bynner
 * The Golden Ring, Five Songs for California for flute, clarinet, horn, violin, ‘cello, piano, percussion; commissioned by Port Costa Players
 * Denim Blues one-hour cabaret piece for mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone, trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion; text by Bettina Jonic, Shirlee Stone; commissioned by Bettina Jonic.
 * Pogo Cantabile five songs for soprano and piano; texts by Walt Kelly
 * The Flea and O, Thou for soprano, speaker, harpsichord
 * Everyone Sang for baritone and piano; text by Siegfried Sassoon; commissioned by James Schwabacher
 * Eine Kleine Snailmusik for mezzo-soprano and piano; text by May Sarton; commissioned by Elizabeth Anker
 * Eve’s Apologie for three sopranos and harpsichord; text by Amelia Lanier; commissioned for Berkeley Music Festival
 * The Heart for soprano and piano; text by composer; commissioned by Sylvia Anderson
 * She-Who Apple Songs three songs for three sopranos, accompanied by woodwind or piano; texts by Judy Grahn
 * The Dorothy Songs two songs for soprano and piano; texts by Dorothy Allison

Choral Works

 * Spin, Earth anthem for SATB chorus and organ; text by John Raymond Baughan
 * Proportions for women’s chorus, flute, and bassoon; texts by Shakespeare; Commissioned by Veil of Isis
 * It’s My World for children’s chorus, piano; text by the composer

Works for Percussion

 * Are You Sleeping? for five percussionists, celeste
 * Trout Surviving for three percussionists
 * Ringing In for four percussionists; commissioned by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music for the inauguration of the Bernard Osher Salon

Recordings

 * Thaw, performed by Lois Brandwynne; included in Music at Mills (1986)
 * Recollections and Revel, performed by the Hampton-Schwartz Duo; included in 20th Century Cello-Piano Works, Music & Arts 903 (1995)
 * Uses of Music in Uttermost Parts (complete; with text by Ursula K. Le Guin); Koch International Classics 7331 (1995)
 * API (Bees), performed by Bettina Mussemeli, violin; Jodi Levitz, viola; Matt Cannon, percussion and the Parallèle Ensemble conducted by Nicole Paiement; included in Music of Darius Milhaud, Kleos Classics 5131 (2004)

Honors and Awards

 * Honors in Music, Mills College, 1961
 * ASCAP award, yearly from 1979-present
 * Norman Fromm Composers Award, San Francisco Chamber Music Society, 1981
 * Fellowship, MacDowell Colony, 1982
 * Meet the Composer grants, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1998
 * Fellowship, Yaddo, 1989
 * Fellowship, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, 1990
 * Alexander Gerbode Foundation Award for New Music Composition, 1990
 * George Sarlo Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2000