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Contemporary

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Eleanor Hovda was an American composer who was born on January 6, 1940, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She was the daughter of a Norwegian father and a Swedish mother, and her family moved to New York City when she was a child. Hovda grew up in a musical household, with her mother playing the piano and her father singing in a choir. She began playing the piano at a young age and later studied composition at the Juilliard School. Hovda's early compositions were influenced by the avant-garde music of the 1960s, particularly the work of John Cage and Morton Feldman. She was also interested in the music of non-Western cultures, and she traveled to India in the 1970s to study Indian classical music. This experience had a profound impact on her music, and she began incorporating elements of Indian music into her compositions. Hovda's music is characterized by its use of unconventional instruments and techniques, as well as its exploration of the relationship between sound and space. She often used found objects and natural materials in her compositions, such as stones, shells, and leaves. Her music was also influenced by her interest in environmentalism and her concern for the natural world. One of Hovda's most notable works is "The Outermost House," a composition for chamber ensemble that was inspired by the book of the same name by naturalist Henry Beston. The piece was commissioned by the Kronos Quartet and premiered in 1987. It features a variety of unconventional instruments, including seashells, stones, and a conch shell, and is intended to evoke the sounds of the natural world. Another notable work by Hovda is "The Spring and the Fall," a composition for solo piano that was inspired by a poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay. The piece is characterized by its use of extended techniques, such as playing inside the piano and using the sustain pedal to create a sustained drone. Hovda's music has been performed by a variety of ensembles and musicians, including the Kronos Quartet, the New York Philharmonic, and pianist Ursula Oppens. She was also a respected teacher and mentor, and taught composition at the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of California, San Diego. Hovda passed away on June 7, 2009, at the age of 69. Her legacy as a composer and innovator in the field of contemporary classical music continues to inspire musicians and audiences alike.

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