Elena Ruehr facts for kids

Elena Ruehr, born in 1963, is an American musician, teacher, and composer. She creates many different kinds of music.

About Elena Ruehr

Elena Ruehr was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her father was a mathematician, and her mother was an English professor. She grew up in Houghton, Michigan. Elena started playing the piano when she was just four years old.

Her Education and Teaching

Elena studied how to compose music at the University of Michigan. She also studied at The Juilliard School. She learned from famous composers like William Bolcom and Vincent Persichetti. Besides music, Elena also studied dance. She even performed with groups that play music from Java and West Africa. In 1992, Elena Ruehr became a teacher at MIT.

Her Music Around the World

Elena Ruehr's music has been played in many countries. Some of her pieces have been recorded. This means you can listen to them on CDs or online. She often uses poems to inspire her music. She takes the words of a poem and sets them to music. Elena is married to Seward Rutkove, and they have a daughter named Sophie.

Elena Ruehr's Music Pieces

Elena Ruehr has written music for many different groups. She writes for large groups like orchestras. She also writes for smaller groups called chamber ensembles. Some of her music is for just one instrument or for singers.

Well-Known Compositions

Here are some of the musical pieces Elena Ruehr has created:

• Ladder to the Moon (2003) for orchestra.
• Toussaint Before the Spirits (2003), which is an opera. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung.
• Cloud Atlas (2011), a concerto for cello. A concerto is a piece for a solo instrument with an orchestra.
• Song of the Silkie (2000) for a baritone singer and a string quartet. The words for this piece were written by Laura Harrington.
• Sky Above Clouds (1993) for orchestra.
• Bel Canto for string quartet. A string quartet is a group of four string instruments.
• Averno for choir.
• It's About Time (2015) for chamber ensemble. The San Francisco Contemporary Music Players asked her to write this piece.

Recordings of Her Music

Many of Elena Ruehr's musical works have been recorded. This means you can listen to them. Here are some of her recorded albums and pieces:

• "SHIMMER" is on an album called Metamorphosen. The Metamorphosen string orchestra plays it.
• "TOUSSAINT BEFORE THE SPIRTS" features Stephen Salters singing.
• “HOW SHE DANCED”: This album has string quartets by Elena Ruehr. The Cypress String Quartet performs them.
• "JANE WANG CONSIDERS THE DRAGONFLY." This piece is named after an expert on insect flight, Z. Jane Wang.
• "AVERNO" features singers Marguerite Krull and Stephen Salters.
• "O'KEEFFE IMAGES" includes Jennifer Kloetzel playing the cello.
• "LIFT" features Irina Muresanu on violin and Jennifer Kloetzel on cello.
• "SIX STRING QUARTETS" includes performances by the Cypress and Borromeo String Quartets.
• "FRESH PAINT” features the Radius Ensemble playing her piece "Quetzal Garden."