When Des Moines resident Elaine Hagenberg graduated from Drake in 2002, her degree was in music education. How did she go on to become an internationally admired choral composer, with works published by Oxford University Press and performances in London, Melbourne, and New York? She talks about it briefly in this interview with IPR's Jacqueline Halbloom.
The occasion for their chat was the premiere of a new work commissioned by the Heartland Youth Choir. Hagenberg tells Jacqueline about her process in composing it and about how she chose the text, a poem by Elaine Jungers of Sheldon, Iowa, called See How the Rose Unfolds.
Hagenberg is currently composer-in-residence of the Des Moines Choral Society. They will be premiering a new work of hers on Saturday, December 8th at St. Ambrose Cathedral in Des Moines. The conductor will be one of Iowa's distinguished choral leaders, Dr. James Rodde, the Louise Moen Endowed Chair in Music and Director of Choral Activities at Iowa State University in Ames. Don't miss it if you're in the area!
Here is Heartland Youth Choir's April premiere of See How the Rose Unfolds. That's Hagenberg conducting:
-vE
