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Juliana Hall is a contemporary American composer of classical music, known for her vocal and chamber music compositions. She was born on December 16, 1958, in New York City, and grew up in a musical family. Her mother was a pianist, and her father was a composer and conductor. From a young age, Hall was exposed to classical music and began playing the piano at the age of five. Hall attended the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, where she studied composition with Samuel Adler and Warren Benson. She received her Bachelor of Music degree in 1981 and went on to earn a Master of Music degree from the Yale School of Music in 1983, where she studied with Jacob Druckman and Martin Bresnick. After completing her studies, Hall began composing music professionally. Her early works were primarily instrumental, including pieces for solo piano, chamber ensembles, and orchestra. However, she soon began to focus on vocal music, which has become her primary area of expertise. Hall's vocal music is characterized by its sensitivity to text and its emotional depth. She has set texts by a wide range of poets, including Emily Dickinson, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Walt Whitman. Her music is often described as lyrical and expressive, with a strong sense of melody and harmony. One of Hall's most notable works is her song cycle "Letters from Edna," which sets the letters of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay to music. The cycle was commissioned by the New York Festival of Song and premiered in 2009. It has since been performed by numerous singers and ensembles, including soprano Tony Arnold and the Brentano String Quartet. Another notable work by Hall is her song cycle "Night Dances," which sets poems by Dana Gioia to music. The cycle was commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and premiered in 2013. It has since been performed by numerous singers and ensembles, including mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton and the Brentano String Quartet. In addition to her vocal music, Hall has also composed a number of chamber works, including string quartets, piano trios, and a wind quintet. Her chamber music is characterized by its intricate textures and complex harmonies. Hall's music has been performed by numerous ensembles and orchestras, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the New York Philharmonic, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She has received numerous awards and honors for her work, including the Aaron Copland Award and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award. In addition to her work as a composer, Hall is also an active educator. She has taught composition at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of South Carolina, and has served as a guest lecturer at numerous universities and conservatories. Overall, Juliana Hall is a highly respected composer of contemporary classical music, known for her sensitive and expressive vocal and chamber music compositions. Her music has been performed by some of the world's leading ensembles and orchestras, and she continues to be a major force in the world of classical music today.

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