Elizabeth Walton Vercoe facts for kids

Elizabeth Vercoe (born April 23, 1941) is an American musician, teacher, and composer. She writes many different kinds of music. She has won awards for her compositions and taught music to many students.

About Elizabeth Vercoe's Life

Elizabeth Vercoe was born in Washington, D.C. She grew up in a family that loved music. She learned to play the piano and violin at the National Cathedral School.

Her College Years and Music Studies

From 1958 to 1962, Elizabeth studied music theory at Wellesley College. There, she won the Hubert Weldon Lamb Prize for her musical compositions. After college, she went to the University of Michigan. She earned a Master's degree in music composition. She learned from famous composers like George Wilson, Ross Lee Finney, and Leslie Bassett.

In 1974, Elizabeth started her doctoral program at Boston University. She studied with the composer Gardner Read. She won First Prize in Music Theory and Composition. She was also chosen for Pi Kappa Lambda, a special music honor society.

Elizabeth Vercoe as a Teacher

Elizabeth has taught music at several places. She taught music theory at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. She also taught for a year at Framingham State College in Massachusetts. Since 1997, she has been a professor at Regis College.

Awards and Special Opportunities

Elizabeth Vercoe has won many awards for her music. She has received grants from important groups like the National Endowment for the Arts. These grants help artists create new works. She also received special fellowships. These allowed her to live and work in places like the Cité internationale des arts in Paris, France. She spent time there between 1983 and 1985.

She was also a Fellow at other creative places. These include the MacDowell Colony and the Civitella Ranieri Foundation in Italy. In 2003, Elizabeth was given the Acuff Chair of Excellence at Austin Peay State University. This meant she spent a semester there. She gave talks, helped musicians perform her music, and was asked to write a new piece.

Performances of Her Music

Elizabeth Vercoe's music has been performed by many groups. These include the Memphis Chamber Orchestra and the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra. Her music has been played at famous places. Some of these are the Amalfi Coast Festival, the Goethe Institute in Bangkok, and Carnegie Recital Hall. In 2014, her piece "Elegy" was performed at Lincoln Center in New York City. This was part of a special concert celebrating the American Music Center's 75th anniversary.

Her Recorded Music

You can find Elizabeth Vercoe's recorded music on several labels. These include Owl, Capstone, Leonarda, Centaur, and Navona. Her music is published by Arsis Press, Noteworthy Sheet Music, and Certosa Verlag.

Elizabeth Vercoe's Musical Works

Elizabeth Vercoe has composed many different pieces of music. Here are some of her selected works:

• A Dangerous Man (a staged play with music for a singer and piano), 1990
• A la fin-tout seul (for mandolin and optional piano), 1985
• American Fancy (for two pianos), 2000
• Balance (for violin and cello), 1974
• Butterfly Effects (for flute and harp), 2008-9
• Butterfly Effects (arranged for oboe and harp) 2010
• Changes: A Little Music for Mozart (for a small orchestra), 1991
• Despite our differences #1 (for violin, cello and piano), 1984
• Despite our differences #2 (for piano and small orchestra), 1988
• Eight Riddles from Symphosius (for a low female voice and piano), 1964
• Elegy (for viola and piano), 1989
• Fantasy (for piano), 1975
• Fantavia (for flute and percussion), 1982
• Four Humors (for clarinet and piano), 1992
• Five Inventions (for horn and piano), 2005
• Five True Remarkable Occurrences (for a medium-range female voice and guitar), 2008
• God Be in My Head (for women’s or mixed choir and keyboard), 1995
• Herstory I (for soprano, piano and vibraphone), 1975
• Herstory II: 13 Japanese Lyrics (for soprano, piano and percussion), 1979
• Herstory III: Jehanne de Lorraine (for mezzo or soprano and piano), 1986
• Herstory IV (for mezzo or soprano and mandolin or marimba), 1997
• In the Storm (for mezzo-soprano, clarinet and piano), 1989
• Irreveries from Sappho (for mezzo or soprano and piano), 1981
• Irreveries from Sappho (for SSA choir and piano), 1985
• Irreveries from Sappho (duet for soprano, mezzo-soprano and piano), 1985
• Kleemation (for flute and piano), 2003
• Nine Epigrams from Poor Richard (for voice and tape), 1986
• Rhapsody (for violin and orchestra), 1977
• Sonaria (for solo cello), 1980
• Supplication (for piano), 1994
• To Music (for solo flute), 2003
• This is my letter to the World (for voice, flute and piano), 2001
• Umbrian Suite (for 4 hands or 2 pianos), 1999
• Varieties of Amorous Experience (for soprano and piano), 1994

Recorded Albums (Discography)

A discography is a list of an artist's recorded music. Here are some of Elizabeth Vercoe's albums:

• Butterfly Effects, Navona Records, released November 9, 2018. This album includes her pieces "Butterfly Effects", "This is My Letter to the World", "Elegy", and "Herstory I".
• Kleemation, Navona Records, released October 30, 2012. This album features "Fantasy", "Irreveries from Sappho", "Herstory II: Thirteen Japanese Lyrics", "To Music", and "Despite our differences #1".