Elizabeth Bell (composer)

Elizabeth Bell was born in Cincinnati in 1928.[1] She gained her Bachelor of Arts in music from Wellesley College in 1950, and a BS in composition from Juilliard in 1953. She studied under Peter Mennin and Vittorio Giannini. Later she also studied with Paul Alan Levi. From 1969 to 1975 Bell worked as the music critic of the Ithaca Journal. Her music has been performed throughout the world. She was a founding member of New York Women Composers, Inc. and served on the Board of Governors of American Composers Alliance. She was also strongly involved with the International Alliance of Women in Music.[2][3] Bell died on December 19, 2016 in Tarrytown, New York.[1]

She married astronomer Frank Drake in 1953 and they had three sons. In 1983 she married Robert E. Friou.[3]

• 1986 First prize for Perne in a Gyre
• 1996 Grand prize for Spectra, Utah composers competition
• 1994 Delius prize for Duovarios, Jacksonville, Florida

Bell has had numerous commissions including

• The New York State Council on the Arts
• The Bradshaw/Buono duo
• The Inoue Chamber Ensemble
• The North/South Consonance
• The Putnam Valley Orchestra
• The Vienna Modern Masters
• Max Lifchitz

Of an Eleanor Elkins' recital Bell said:[4]

• Andromeda (1993)
• Arecibo Sonata (1968)
• Concertino For Chamber Orchestra (2015)
• Concerto For Orchestra (1976)
• Duovarios (1987)
• Fantasy-Sonata (1971)
• Kaleidoscope – (1969)
• Les Neiges D'antan – Sonata For Violin And Piano (1998)
• Loss Songs (1983)
• Millennium (1988)
• Night Music (1990)
• Perne In A Gyre (1984)
• Rituals For Orchestra (1988)
• River Fantasy (1991)
• Second Sonata (1972)
• Six Loss-Songs (1983)
• Soliloquy For Solo Cello (1980)
• Soliloquy For Solo Violin (1980)
• Songs Of Here And Forever (1970)
• Spectra (1989)
• String Quartet #1 (1957)
• Summer Suite (1982)
• Symphony No. 1 (1971)
• Variations & Interludes (1952)