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Ellen Taaffe Zwilich is an American composer and is the first female composer to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. She began her studies as a violinist and earned a B.M. from Florida State University. She later enrolled in Juilliard where she became the first woman to earn the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in composition (1975). Her music is often described as “romantic,” “accessible” and “audience-friendly”.

As the first occupant of Carnegie Hall’s composer’s chair, from 1995 to 1999, she created the "Making Music" concert series, which focused on performances and lectures by living composers. In 1999 she was designated Musical America's Composer of the Year.

Zwilich has even been the subject of two cartoons in the Peanuts® series! In the first cartoon, Peanuts® characters attend the premiere of Ms. Zwilich’s Concerto for Flute. She eventually composed a work for piano and orchestra called Peanuts® Gallery for a 1997 Carnegie Hall children’s concert. Her composition, Peanuts® Gallery, was later featured featured in another Peanuts® comic strip.

Ellen Taaffe Zwilich has received many awards for her compositions. She turned 70 on April 30, 2009. Happy Birthday!

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