Joelle Wallach facts for kids
Joelle Wallach (born June 29, 1946, in New York City) is an American composer. A composer is someone who writes music. When she was a girl, Joelle lived in Morocco for five years. After that, she came back to the United States. She went to a special music school called the Juilliard School's pre-college program. There, she learned to play the violin and piano, sing, and understand music theory. She also started writing her own music!
Joelle continued her studies at Sarah Lawrence College, where she earned a degree in music in 1967. She then went to Columbia University and later the Manhattan School of Music. She studied with a famous composer named John Corigliano.
Joelle Wallach: A Musical Journey
Early Life and Education
Joelle Wallach's musical journey began early. After living in Morocco, she returned to New York. She joined the Juilliard School's program for young students. This is where she really started to develop her talents. She learned many different parts of music, from playing instruments to understanding how music is put together. Her education helped her become the amazing composer she is today.
Her Amazing Music
Joelle Wallach is known for writing many different kinds of music. She often writes for string instruments (like violins and cellos) and for singers. Her music has a special sound, sometimes using old Hebrew chant styles or lively North African dance rhythms.
Some of her most famous pieces include:
- The Tiger's Tail: This orchestral piece won a big competition in 1991. It shows how powerful and exciting her music can be.
- The King's Twelve Moons: This is a chamber opera. An opera is like a play where the story is told mostly through singing. A chamber opera is a smaller version, often with fewer performers.
- Toward a Time of Renewal: This was a huge piece written for 200 voices and an orchestra! The New York Choral Society asked her to write it for their special anniversary concert at Carnegie Hall. Carnegie Hall is a very famous concert venue in New York City.
- From the Forest Chimneys: The New York Philharmonic's Chamber Ensemble, a group of musicians from a famous orchestra, performed this piece. She wrote it to celebrate their 10th anniversary.
- Glancing Below: This is a ballet, which is a story told through dance and music. It was first performed in Philadelphia in 1994.
Joelle Wallach continues to create beautiful and interesting music that is performed by groups all over the world.