Elaine "Ray" Barkin (née Radoff, December 15, 1932 – February 22, 2023) was an American composer, writer, and educator.

Early life

Elaine Radoff was born in

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

, New York City, lived in the Amalgamated Houses, attended

Bronx High School of Science The Bronx High School of Science is a State school, public Specialized high schools in New York City, specialized high school in the Bronx in New York City. It is operated by the New York City Department of Education. Admission to Bronx Science ...

Third Street Music School Settlement Third Street Music School Settlement is the longest-running community music school in the United States. Founded in 1894, it is at 235 East 11th Street, New York City. Third Street has three main programs: a music & dance school, a music-infused P ...

, and

Queens College Queens College (QC) is a public college in the New York City borough of Queens. Part of the City University of New York system, Queens College occupies an campus primarily located in Flushing. Queens College was established in 1937 and offe ...

(BA in 1954), where she studied composition and theory with Karol Rathaus,

Sol Berkowitz Sol Berkowitz (27 April 1922 – 29 July 2006) was an American composer and music educator. Life Sol Berkowitz was born in Warren, Ohio, and lived in New York from 1925. He received music degrees from Queens College (CUNY) in 1942 and Columbia Un ...

, Leo Kraft, and Saul Novack. At

Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...

(MFA in 1956, PhD in 1971), her mentors in composition and theory were Irving Fine,

Harold Shapero Harold Samuel Shapero (April 29, 1920 – May 17, 2013) was an American composer. Early years Shapero was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, on April 29, 1920. He and his family later moved to nearby Newton. He learned to play the piano as a ch ...

, Arthur Berger, and Seymour Shifrin. In the summer of 1955 she worked with

Boris Blacher Boris Blacher (30 January 1975) was a German composer and librettist. Life Blacher was born when his parents (of German-Estonian and Russian backgrounds) were living within a Russian-speaking community in the Manchurian town of Niuzhuang () (h ...

Tanglewood Tanglewood is a music venue and Music festival, festival in the towns of Lenox, Massachusetts, Lenox and Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Stockbridge in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. It has been the summer home of the Boston Symphony ...

and then in 1956 and 1957 at the

Berlin Hochschule für Musik Berlin ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the highest population within its city limits of any city in the European Union. The city is also one of the states of ...

on a

Fulbright fellowship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people o ...

. In 1963, Barkin was asked by

Benjamin Boretz Benjamin Aaron Boretz (born October 3, 1934) is an American composer and Music theory, music theorist. Life and work Benjamin Boretz was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Abraham Jacob Boretz and Leah (Yullis) Boretz. He graduated with a degree in ...

, founding editor of the composers' journal ''

Perspectives of New Music ''Perspectives of New Music'' (PNM) is a peer-reviewed academic journal specializing in music theory Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Musi ...

'', to join as editor, a post she held until 1985. In 1972 she served as co-editor and when

John Rahn John Rahn, born on February 26, 1944, in New York City, is a music theory, music theorist, composer, bassoonist, and Professor of Music at the University of Washington School of Music, Seattle. A former student of Milton Babbitt and Benjamin Boretz ...

became editor in 1984, she remained on for a year as advisory editor.

Career

Barkin taught

music appreciation Music appreciation is a division of musicology that is designed to teach students how to understand and describe the contexts and creative processes involved in music composition. The concept of music appreciation is often taught as a subset of ...

music theory Music theory is the study of theoretical frameworks for understanding the practices and possibilities of music. ''The Oxford Companion to Music'' describes three interrelated uses of the term "music theory": The first is the "Elements of music, ...

, and

composition Composition or Compositions may refer to: Arts and literature *Composition (dance), practice and teaching of choreography * Composition (language), in literature and rhetoric, producing a work in spoken tradition and written discourse, to include ...

(1964–69), the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

(1970–74),

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

(Spring 1974, Council of the Humanities Fellowship), and the

University of California, Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Its academic roots were established in 1881 as a normal school the ...

(UCLA, 1974–97). She also taught at

Sarah Lawrence College Sarah Lawrence College (SLC) is a Private university, private liberal arts college in Yonkers, New York, United States. Founded as a Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in 1926, Sarah Lawrence College has been coeducational ...

(1969);

National Chiao Tung University National Chiao Tung University (NCTU) was a public research university in Hsinchu, Taiwan. Established in 1896 as Nanyang Public School by an imperial edict of the Guangxu Emperor, it was one of China's leading universities. After the Chinese ...

, Taiwan (May 1989);

Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington (), also known by its shorter names "VUW" or "Vic", is a public university, public research university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of New Zealand Parliament, Parliament, and w ...

, New Zealand (Spring 1994); and the Institute for Shipboard Education's Semester at Sea (Fall 1996). Barkin's compositional output includes works for solo instruments, chamber ensembles, and orchestra; 4-track tape collages; solo voice and chorus; Balinese and Javanese

gamelan Gamelan (; ; , ; ) is the traditional musical ensemble, ensemble music of the Javanese people, Javanese, Sundanese people, Sundanese, and Balinese people, Balinese peoples of Indonesia, made up predominantly of percussion instrument, per ...

; dancers and multi-media theater, including a

chamber opera Chamber opera is a designation for operas written to be performed with a Chamber music, chamber ensemble rather than a full orchestra. Early 20th-century operas of this type include Paul Hindemith's ''Cardillac'' (1926). Earlier small-scale operas ...

;

graphic scores Graphic notation (or graphic score) is the representation of music through the use of visual symbols outside the realm of traditional music notation. Graphic notation became popular in the 1950s, and can be used either in combination with or instea ...

and scenarios for improvisation; symphonic wind ensemble; electronic-

MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface (; MIDI) is an American-Japanese technical standard that describes a communication protocol, digital interface, and electrical connectors that connect a wide variety of electronic musical instruments, ...

media. In the 1980s, Barkin's interests turned to collaborative endeavors, real-time interactive music-making, out of which emerged UCLA's Experimental Workshop. She joined UCLA's Javanese and Balinese Gamelan ensembles and made five trips to

Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...

and

Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...

to study new music for gamelan under the auspices of a University of California Pacific Rim Research Grant with colleagues Linda Burman-Hall, Sue Carole DeVale, and

David Cope David Howell Cope (May 17, 1941 – May 4, 2025) was an American author, composer, scientist, and Dickerson Professor of Music at UC Santa Cruz. His primary area of research involved artificial intelligence and music; he wrote programs and algo ...

. In 1989 Barkin,

and James K. Randall co-founded the Open Space music publications series. Barkin published books and professional articles in journals including ''Perspectives of New Music''.

Personal life and death

In 1957 she married writer, editor, and computer programmer George J. Barkin (1928–2020). They had three sons: Victor, Jesse, and Gabriel. Elaine Barkin died on February 22, 2023, at the age of 90.

Works

Principal compositions *''Four Short Pieces for Piano'' (1955) *''Chaconne Variations for Orchestra'' (MFA thesis, 1956) *''Essay for Orchestra'' (1957) *''Refrains'', flute, clarinet, violin, viola, violoncello, celeste (1967) *''Six Compositions for Piano'' (1968) *String Quartet (PhD thesis, 1969) *''Plus ça change'', string orchestra and percussion (1971) *''PRIM Cycles'', flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello (1972) *''Sound Play'', solo violin (1974) *''Mixed Modes'', bass clarinet, violin, viola, violoncello, piano (ISCM-NYSCA commission) (1975) *''For Suite's Sake'', harpsichord (for Fred Hammond) (1975) *''Inward & Outward Bound'', chamber orchestra (1975) *''String Trio'' (1976) *''Plein Chant'', solo alto flute (for Anahid Nazarian) (1977) *''EbbTide'', two vibraphones (1977) *''Two

Emily Dickinson Emily Elizabeth Dickinson (December 10, 1830 – May 15, 1886) was an American poet. Little-known during her life, she has since been regarded as one of the most important figures in American poetry. Dickinson was born in Amherst, Massac ...

Choruses'' for Donn Weiss and the UCLA Madrigal Singers (1977) *''"...the supple suitor..."'', song cycle, Emily Dickinson texts; mezzo-soprano, flute, oboe, violoncello, harpsichord/piano, vibraphone/bells (NEA commission) (1978) *''"...the sky..."'', SSA and piano;

E. E. Cummings Edward Estlin Cummings (October 14, 1894 – September 3, 1962), commonly known as e e cummings or E. E. Cummings, was an American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright. During World War I, he worked as an ambulance driver and was ...

' texts for Robert Tusler and the UCLA Women's Choral Society (1978) *''De Amore'', mini-opera based on love texts from the 12th to the 20th century, 4 female, 4 male speaker-singers, viola, guitar, harp, contrabass, slides Rockefeller Foundation Study Center, Bellagio, Italy and MacDowell Colony Residencies (April, May 1980) *''Media Speak'', theater piece about nuclear technology, 9 speakers, tape, saxophone, masks and slides –

Millay Colony for the Arts Millay Arts, formerly the Millay Colony for the Arts, is an arts community offering residency-retreats and workshops in Austerlitz, New York, and free arts programs in local public schools. Housed on the former property of feminist/activist poet ...

(1981) *''N.B. Suite'', flutes, contrabass – UCLA College of Fine Arts commission; for Nancy and Bertram Turetzky (1982) *''At the piano'', solo piano – written for Gloria Cheng (1982) *''"...to piety more prone..."'', theater piece, 4 women readers, 4-track tape collage (1982) *''Anonymous was a woman'', 4-track tape collage, for dancer Annamaura Silverblatt (1984) *''Still Life :CPEBS'', jazz baritone saxophone, vibraphone – for Carl Pritzkat (1984) *''On the way to becoming'', 4-track tape collage on original text (1985) *''Past is part of'', 4-track tape collage on original text (1985) *''3 Rhapsodies'', flutes, clarinet – for Catherine Schieve and Robert Paredes (1986) *''OutBack'', 4-track tape collage – for Peggy Circerska and 2 dancers (1987) *''Anything Goes'' – in memoriam Abraham Schwadron; 4-track tape collage (1987) *''Encore'' for Javanese gamelan (1988) *''"...out of the air..."'', basset horn, tape – written for Georgina Dobrée (1989) *''To Whom It May Concern #2'' 4-track tape collage; textline by

(1989) *''Legong Dreams'', solo oboe (1990) *''Social Contracts'', theater piece, texts, five improvising players (1990) *''Exploring the Rigors of In Between & Coming Apart at the Seams'', flute, French horn, violin, viola, violoncello (Southern California Music Librarians Association commission) (1991) *''Kotekan Jam'', conceived for the University of Oregon's Pacific Rim Balinese Gamelan (1991) *''continuous'', texts designed to stimulate interactive music-making (1992) *''Gamelange'', harp, mixed gamelan, hand percussion – written for Sue DeVale and the UCLA New Music Gamelan Band (1993) *''"...for my friends' pleasure..."'', harp and soprano – written for Sue DeVale and Amy Catlin-Jairazbhoy, texts by

Sappho Sappho (; ''Sapphṓ'' ; Aeolic Greek ''Psápphō''; ) was an Ancient Greek poet from Eresos or Mytilene on the island of Lesbos. Sappho is known for her lyric poetry, written to be sung while accompanied by music. In ancient times, Sapph ...

, Sue DeVale,

bell hooks Gloria Jean Watkins (September 25, 1952 – December 15, 2021), better known by her pen name bell hooks (stylized in lowercase), was an American author, theorist, educator, and social critic who was a Distinguished Professor in Residence at Be ...

, Santal girl,

(1995) *''Touching all Bases/Di Mana-mana'', collaboratively composed with I Nyoman Wenten for Basso Bongo & Gamelan; Meet the Composer Commission (1996) *''Lagu Kapal Kuning'' (Song of the Yellow Boat) for Balinese gamelan

angklung The ( Sundanese: ) is a musical instrument from the Sundanese in Indonesia that is made of a varying number of bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame. The tubes are carved to produce a resonant pitch when struck and are tuned to octaves, sim ...

(1996) *''Poem'' for Tom Lee and the UCLA Symphonic Wind & Percussion Ensemble (1999) *''Song for Sarah'' solo violin – written for and with Mark Menzies (2001) *''Ode'', 16 woodwinds and percussion (2001–02) *''Ballade'', solo violoncello and voice (2002–04) *''Tambellan Suite'' for Ron George and his Tambellan (2003–04) *''Warna/Colors'' for Balinese and Javanese Gamelan, in memoriam Leonard Stein (2003) *''Purnama, Cut Short, Step by Step, From the Abbeys'', MIDI pieces (2004) *''Faygele's Footsteps'', MIDI dulcimer, sitar, gamelan, harp, piano (2005) *''Inti Sari'' for Loyola Marymount's gamelan angklung (2005) *''Easy Pieces for Harp'' for Sue Carole DeVale (2005–06) *''Piano Suite'' relude, Umbrella Steps, Sara's Dance, When the Wind Blows(2007) *''5 Little Machine Pieces'' arely There, Whorl, IF, ShadowPlay, Ending(2007–08) *''Violin Duo & 3 Little Violin Duets'' (2007) *''6 Pieces for Piano'' (2008) *''XTET: Last Dance for Milton'', MIDI pianos, celesta, harpsichord, organ, drum set – for the Open Space/''

'' Milton Babbitt Memorial CD (2011) *''Fidl Trio (+1) (in memoriam Paul Des Marais)'', 2 violins, contrabass + (2012) Publishers: Mobart Music; Association for the Promotion of New Music; American Gamelan Institute; Yelton-Rhodes Music < www.yrrmusic.com > Recordings: cassettes, CDs, videos *''String Quartet'', Composers Recordings, Inc./

New World Records New World Records is a record label that was established in 1975 through a Rockefeller Foundation grant to celebrate America's bicentennial (1976) by producing a 100-LP anthology, with American music from many genres.Benjamin Boretz Benjamin Aaron Boretz (born October 3, 1934) is an American composer and Music theory, music theorist. Life and work Benjamin Boretz was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Abraham Jacob Boretz and Leah (Yullis) Boretz. He graduated with a degree in ...

, Open Space CD 29. *''New Music in Bali'' (a video featuring rehearsals and performances of music of 3 Balinese composers, edited by ERB & Grace M) (1993) *''New Music in Bali''; cassette with music of 3 Balinese Composers, produced by Elaine Barkin and Linda Burman-Hall, (UC Pacific Rim Grant) (1994). *''I Wayan Ssuweca: "It All Comes from Inside"'', Balinese Master Musician (a video edited by ERB & Grace M) (1994) Books and articles *''File: a collection'' (texts, photos, graphics by Elaine Barkin, JK Randall, Robert Paredes, Jane Coppock, Benjamin Boretz), 1987. *''e : an anthology : music texts & graphics (1975–1995)'' (endpaper by Benjamin Boretz), Open Space, 1997. *''Audible Traces: gender, identity and music''. Edited by Elaine Barkin & Lydia Hammesley. Carciofoli Press, 1999. *''e2 : an anthology : music texts & graphics 1980–2020] : 'Are we nearly there?, edited by Mark So, Open Space, 2020. Barkin has published reviews, analyses, speculative texts, interviews, commentaries, and graphics in ''

'', ''

The Musical Quarterly ''The Musical Quarterly'' is the oldest academic journal on music in America. Originally established in 1915 by Oscar Sonneck, the journal was edited by Sonneck until his death in 1928. Sonneck was succeeded by a number of editors, including C ...

'', ''Music Review'', ''Contemporary Music Newsletter'', ''

Journal of Music Theory The ''Journal of Music Theory'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal specializing in music theory and analysis. It was established by David Kraehenbuehl (Yale University) in 1957. According to its website, " e ''Journal of Music Theory'' fosters co ...

'', ''

Balungan The ''balungan'' () is sometimes called the "core melody" or, "skeletal melodic outline," of a Javanese gamelan composition. This corresponds to the view that gamelan music is heterophonic: the ''balungan'' is then the melody which is being ela ...

'', ''Journal of the Arnold Schoenberg Institute'', '' American Music'', '' Grove Dictionary of American Music'' and ''Grove Online'', '' Sonus'', ''Intercultural Music'', ''News of Music'', ''G.E.M.S. Online Journal'', the ''Journal of the International Alliance for Women in Music'', and '' The Open Space Magazine''.

Early life

Career

Personal life and death

Works

References

Further reading