Joelle Wallach facts for kids

Joelle Wallach is an American composer. She was born in New York on June 29, 1946. When she was a girl, she lived in Morocco for five years. Later, she came back to the United States. She studied music at the Juilliard School's pre-college program. There, she learned violin, piano, singing, and how to compose music. She earned a degree in music composition from Sarah Lawrence College in 1967. She continued her studies at Columbia University and the Manhattan School of Music. She even studied with famous composer John Corigliano.

Joelle Wallach's Musical Style

Joelle Wallach is known for her unique musical style. She often writes music for string instruments and voices. Her orchestral pieces show many different influences. For example, she uses sounds from Hebrew chant and North African dance traditions. This mix of styles makes her music very interesting.

Famous Works by Joelle Wallach

Wallach has composed many important pieces. One of her well-known works is the orchestral piece The Tiger's Tail. This piece won a big composition contest in 1991. She also wrote a chamber opera called The King's Twelve Moons.

Another major work is her oratorio, Toward a Time of Renewal. An oratorio is a large musical piece for voices and orchestra. This one was written for 200 voices and an orchestra. The New York Choral Society asked her to write it for their 35th anniversary. It was performed at the famous Carnegie Hall.

Premieres and Performances

Many of Wallach's works have been performed by famous groups. The New York Philharmonic's Chamber Ensemble played her octet, From the Forest Chimneys. An octet is a piece for eight instruments. They played it to celebrate their 10th anniversary. Her ballet, Glancing Below, was first performed in Philadelphia in 1994. A ballet is a story told through dance and music.