Role

:

Composer

Birth

:

1963

Period

:

Contemporary

Genre

:

Chamber

 

Scott L. Miller is a contemporary classical music composer who was born on December 22, 1966, in the United States. He grew up in a musical family, with his father being a jazz pianist and his mother a classical pianist. Miller began playing the piano at a young age and later learned to play the trumpet and guitar. He attended the University of California, San Diego, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Composition in 1989 and a Master of Fine Arts in Music Composition in 1991. Miller's early works were heavily influenced by the minimalist movement, particularly the works of Steve Reich and Philip Glass. His compositions often feature repetitive patterns and rhythms, with a focus on texture and timbre. In the early 1990s, Miller began incorporating electronic elements into his music, using synthesizers and computer software to create new sounds and textures. One of Miller's early works, "In Memoriam: September 11, 2001," was composed in response to the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. The piece features a haunting melody played on the trumpet, accompanied by electronic sounds and a recorded voice reciting the names of the victims of the attacks. The piece was premiered in 2002 and has since been performed by numerous ensembles and soloists. Another notable work by Miller is "The Frost Performs Its Secret Ministry," a chamber opera based on the poetry of Wallace Stevens. The opera tells the story of a man who becomes obsessed with the idea of immortality and embarks on a journey to find the secret of eternal life. The music is characterized by its use of extended techniques, such as vocalizations and percussive sounds, and its incorporation of electronic elements. Miller's music has been performed by a variety of ensembles and soloists, including the San Diego Symphony, the La Jolla Symphony, and the California E.A.R. Unit. He has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2005 and a Fromm Foundation Commission in 2010. In addition to his work as a composer, Miller is also a professor of music at the University of South Florida, where he teaches composition and electronic music. He has also served as a guest lecturer and composer-in-residence at numerous universities and music festivals around the world. Overall, Scott L. Miller is a highly respected and innovative composer whose work has pushed the boundaries of contemporary classical music. His use of electronic elements and extended techniques has created a unique and distinctive sound that has earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated following.

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