Margriet Ehlen facts for kids

Margriet Ehlen (born September 28, 1943) is a talented Dutch artist. She is a poet, a composer (someone who writes music), a conductor (who leads musical groups), and a teacher of classical music.

About Margriet Ehlen

Margriet Ehlen was born in Heerlen, a city in the Netherlands. She writes music for many different instruments. She especially loves to compose for voices, from single singers to large choirs.

Music and Poetry

Many of Margriet's songs use poems as their words. She has used texts by famous poets like Emily Dickinson, Gerrit Achterberg, and Anna Bijns. Besides writing music, Margriet Ehlen is also a very good poet herself and has won awards for her writing.

Her Education and Teaching

Margriet studied music with several teachers. She learned how to compose music from Gerard Kockelmans, Willem de Vries Robbé, and Robert Heppener. She also studied piano with Bart Berman and Kees Steinroth. She learned how to lead choirs from Jan Eelkema.

She earned a degree in music education from the Maastricht Academy of Music. After graduating, she taught at colleges in Rotterdam, Maastricht, and Sittard.

Writing About Music

Margriet Ehlen has also studied the works of other composers. She collected and looked closely at the music of her former teacher, Gerard Kockelmans. She has also written about another composer named Jean Lambrechts.

Where Her Music is Published

Many of Margriet Ehlen's musical pieces have been published by Donemus. This is a Dutch company that helps new classical composers share their music. Some of her other works were published by Rieks Sodenkamp in Maastricht.

Selected Musical Works

Here are some of the musical pieces Margriet Ehlen has created:

• 1979 Cyclus I: Five songs for a voice and piano, using poems by Martin Boot.
• 1980 Three songs: For a voice and piano, also using texts by Martin Boot.
• 1984 Palimpseste: Four songs for a mezzo-soprano (a type of female singer) and piano, with poems by Wiel Kusters.
• 1988 And send the Rose to you: Ten songs for a choir, using poems by Emily Dickinson and Elly de Waard.
• 1988 Wijfken, staat oppe: For a soprano (another type of female singer) and flute, based on a text by Anna Bijnstriptiek.
• 1990 Euridyce: A series of seven songs for a mezzo-soprano and a group of four flutes, using poems by Gerrit Achterberg.
• 1990 Three small songs: For flute and a medium voice, with poems by Hadewych Laugs.
• 1994 Dröm: For soprano and flute, based on a text by Birgitta Buch.
• 1995 Prèsque Berceuse: For soprano, flute, and harpsichord or piano, using a text by H. Leopold.
• 1995 Too few the mornings be: For soprano, saxophone, horn, and piano.
• 2003 For the Distant: A short opera for a soprano, two percussion orchestras, two dancers, video, and two choirs.
• 2006 Ignis Caritas: For carillon (a musical instrument with bells), using a text written by Margriet Ehlen herself.
• 2012 The Iron Lady of Maastricht: For a counter tenor (a type of male singer) and saxophone, based on a text by Daan Doesborgh.

Awards and Recognition

Margriet Ehlen has received several awards for her work:

• 1997 Peter Kempkens Literature Award
• 1995-1999 Veldeke awards (she won 4 prizes during these years)

See also

In Spanish: Margriet Ehlen para niños