Role

:

Composer  

Birth

:

1954 in Carbondale, IL

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Avant-Garde

 

 

Chamber

 

 

Crossover

 

 

Keyboard

 

 

Vocal

 

Eric Moe is a contemporary American composer who has made significant contributions to the world of classical music. Born in 1954 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Moe grew up in a family that valued music and the arts. His mother was a pianist, and his father was a professor of English literature. Moe began playing the piano at a young age and showed an early interest in composition. Moe attended the University of Minnesota, where he studied composition with Dominick Argento and Paul Fetler. He later earned a Master's degree in composition from the Yale School of Music, where he studied with Jacob Druckman and Martin Bresnick. Moe also studied at the Aspen Music Festival and the Tanglewood Music Center. Moe's early works were influenced by the minimalist and post-minimalist styles of composers such as Steve Reich and Philip Glass. However, he soon developed his own unique voice, incorporating elements of rock music, jazz, and other genres into his compositions. Moe's music is characterized by its rhythmic energy, harmonic complexity, and use of extended techniques. One of Moe's earliest works, "Siren Songs," was written for the Kronos Quartet in 1985. The piece is a set of variations on a theme from Homer's "Odyssey," and it showcases Moe's skill at creating intricate rhythmic patterns. Another early work, "Strange Exclaiming Music," was written for the New York New Music Ensemble in 1987. The piece features a virtuosic clarinet solo and incorporates elements of jazz and rock music. In the 1990s, Moe began to explore more experimental forms of composition. His piece "Let Me Tell U About R Specials" (1992) is a multimedia work that combines live performance with pre-recorded sound and video. The piece was inspired by Moe's experiences working in a fast-food restaurant as a teenager. Another experimental work, "Tough Songs About Death" (1996), is a set of songs for soprano and chamber ensemble that explores themes of mortality and loss. Moe's music has been performed by many of the world's leading ensembles and soloists, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has also collaborated with a number of prominent performers, including pianist Ursula Oppens, cellist Fred Sherry, and saxophonist Joshua Redman. One of Moe's most acclaimed works is "Kick and Ride" (2001), a concerto for saxophone and orchestra. The piece was commissioned by the Albany Symphony Orchestra and features a virtuosic solo part that showcases the saxophone's range and versatility. Another notable work is "Dead Cat Bounce" (2004), a piece for piano and electronics that was inspired by the stock market crash of 1987. In addition to his work as a composer, Moe is also a respected educator. He has taught at a number of institutions, including the University of Pittsburgh, the University of California, Berkeley, and the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. Moe has also served as a guest lecturer and composer-in-residence at numerous universities and music festivals. Moe has received many awards and honors for his work as a composer, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fromm Foundation Commission, and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. He has also been recognized for his contributions to music education, receiving the University of Pittsburgh Chancellor's Distinguished Teaching Award in 2011.

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