Role

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Composer

Birth

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1963

 

Ann Millikan is a contemporary classical music composer who was born in 1963 in San Francisco, California. She grew up in a musical family, with her mother being a pianist and her father a composer. Millikan began playing the piano at a young age and later studied composition at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After completing her studies, Millikan moved to Europe to further her education in composition. She studied with renowned composers such as Louis Andriessen and Brian Ferneyhough at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in the Netherlands. Millikan also spent time in Italy, studying with Franco Donatoni at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. Millikan's early works were heavily influenced by the European avant-garde, with complex rhythms and harmonies being a prominent feature. Her music often explores the relationship between sound and silence, with moments of stillness and quietness being just as important as the more active sections. One of Millikan's most notable works is her chamber opera, "The Angel in the Dream," which was premiered in 2001. The opera tells the story of a woman who is visited by an angel in her dreams and is forced to confront her own mortality. The music is haunting and ethereal, with the use of extended techniques on the instruments creating a dreamlike atmosphere. Another significant work by Millikan is her piano concerto, "The Owl and the Dove," which was premiered in 2010. The concerto is inspired by the poetry of Rumi and explores the themes of love and spirituality. The music is lush and romantic, with the piano and orchestra weaving together in a beautiful tapestry of sound. Millikan has also written a number of works for solo instruments, including "The Space Between" for solo cello and "The Persistence of Memory" for solo piano. These works showcase Millikan's ability to create intricate and complex music for a single instrument, with the performer being required to navigate challenging rhythms and harmonies. In addition to her work as a composer, Millikan is also a dedicated educator. She has taught composition at a number of institutions, including the University of California, Berkeley and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Millikan is passionate about passing on her knowledge and experience to the next generation of composers, and has been a mentor to many young musicians over the years. Overall, Ann Millikan is a composer who has made a significant contribution to the world of contemporary classical music. Her music is complex and challenging, yet also deeply emotional and expressive. Millikan's works have been performed around the world and have earned her a reputation as one of the most innovative and exciting composers of her generation.

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