Beth Denisch facts for kids

Beth Denisch is an American composer born in Augusta, Georgia, on February 25, 1958. She writes music for many different groups. She studied music at North Texas State University and Boston University. Today, she teaches others how to compose music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Becoming a Composer

Beth Denisch loved music from a young age. She earned her first music degree from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. Later, she went to Boston University for more advanced degrees. There, she learned from famous composers like John Harbison and Bernard Rands.

After finishing her studies, Beth Denisch began teaching. She taught at UMass Dartmouth and Northeastern University. Now, she is a Professor of Composition at the Berklee College of Music. This is a well-known music school in Boston. She helps students learn how to create their own music.

Her Musical Works

Beth Denisch's music has been played in many important concerts. She has also won awards and been asked to write new pieces.

Famous Performances

In 2002, a group called the Handel and Haydn Society performed her piece "Sorrow and Tenderness." This was part of a concert with young musicians at Brockton High School in Massachusetts.

Another one of her pieces is "Fire Mountain Intermezzo." This is for a string orchestra, which is a group of instruments like violins and cellos. The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin played this music in Moscow and New York City. Her piece won a competition called Homage to Mozart. A music critic from The New York Times said her music had "fierce rhythmic patterns." He also noted that it used both dissonance (sounds that clash) and tonality (sounds that fit together).

Award-Winning Music

Beth Denisch's piece "Golden Fanfare" was praised by American Record Guide. They liked its strong "drive" and how it used repeated musical patterns called ostinatos. It also featured canonic fanfares based on a folk tune from Bulgaria.

In 1999, her work "The Singing Tree" won a competition. This competition asked composers to write music inspired by paintings. After hearing "The Singing Tree," the Philadelphia Classical Symphony asked her to write another piece. This new work was called Goblins' Night Out! and was for an orchestra with a narrator.

Other Projects

In 2003, the Equinox Chamber Players asked Beth Denisch to write Women, Power and the Journey. They also recorded this piece and another one called Jordan and the Dog Woman.

Helping Other Musicians

Beth Denisch also helps other musicians and artists. In 1996, she started a group called the American Composers Forum in New England. She led this group until 2005. She also works with a group that studies music and gender issues around the world. She gives talks on these topics, for example, at the Feminist Theory and Music Conference. She is also active in the International Alliance for Women in Music.