Role

:

Composer  

Birth

:

February 17, 1926 in Madison, WI

Death

:

March 28, 2011 in New York City, NY

Period

:

Contemporary

 

 

Modern

Genre

:

Vocal

 

Lee Hoiby was an American composer of classical music, known for his vocal works and operas. He was born on February 17, 1926, in Madison, Wisconsin, to Norwegian immigrant parents. His father was a Lutheran minister, and his mother was a pianist and organist. Hoiby grew up in a musical household and began playing the piano at a young age. Hoiby attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he studied composition with Vincent Jones. He later earned a master's degree in composition from the University of Michigan, where he studied with Ross Lee Finney. After completing his studies, Hoiby moved to New York City, where he became involved in the city's vibrant music scene. Hoiby's early works were influenced by the neoclassical style of Stravinsky and the serialism of Schoenberg. However, he soon developed his own unique style, which blended elements of tonality and atonality. Hoiby's music is characterized by its lyricism, expressive harmonies, and sensitive treatment of text. Hoiby's first major success came in 1956 with the premiere of his opera "The Scarf." The opera, which is based on a short story by the French writer Guy de Maupassant, tells the story of a young man who becomes obsessed with a woman's scarf. The opera was well-received by critics and helped establish Hoiby as a rising star in the world of opera. Hoiby went on to compose several more operas, including "Summer and Smoke" (1971), based on the play by Tennessee Williams, and "The Tempest" (1986), based on the play by Shakespeare. Hoiby's operas are known for their strong characters, vivid orchestration, and emotional depth. In addition to his operas, Hoiby composed a large body of vocal music, including art songs, choral works, and song cycles. His vocal music is notable for its sensitivity to text and its ability to capture the emotional nuances of the words. Some of Hoiby's most famous vocal works include "Lady of the Harbor" (1982), a song cycle based on the poetry of Emma Lazarus, and "Three Women" (1978), a song cycle based on the poetry of Sylvia Plath. Hoiby also composed several instrumental works, including a piano concerto, a violin concerto, and a string quartet. His instrumental music is characterized by its lyricism and expressive harmonies. Throughout his career, Hoiby received numerous awards and honors, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a National Endowment for the Arts grant, and the American Academy of Arts and Letters Music Award. He was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Hoiby continued to compose music until his death on March 28, 2011, at the age of 85. His music continues to be performed and recorded by musicians around the world, and he is remembered as one of the most important American composers of the 20th century.

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