Elma Miller
Elma Miller is a Canadian musician, composer, writer and educator.
Biography
Education
Miller was born in 1954 in Toronto, Ontario. In 1977, she received a BMus and MMus from the University of Toronto. During that time, she studied composition under Walter Buczynski, John Beckwith, Lothar Klein, John Weinzweig and Bogusław Schaeffer. Miller studied piano with Elaine Keillor from 1975-1978, and electronic/computer music with Gustav Ciamaga, Bill Buxton, John Chowning and Leland Smith. She also studied aesthetics with Geoffrey Payzant and media with Marshall McLuhan.Compositions
In 1979, Miller moved to Hamilton. There, she composes chamber music, music for full orchestra, electronic music and vocal music. From 1976 to 1978, she taught clarinet, theory, counterpoint, orchestration, and 20th century analysis at Toronto University, as well as working as a lecturer and library technician at the university. She was artistic director for the contemporary chamber music series "Music Here & Now". Miller is of Estonian descent, and she has incorporated musical and thematic elements from that heritage into her work. Miller has also found inspiration from astronomy, archaeology, Buddhist meditation and ecology. She has composed works for various musical groups including the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and the pianist Elaine Keillor. Her works have been performed in Canada and internationally.Below is a non-comprehensive list of Miller's compositions.
| Title | Date | Instrumentation |
| Margarita | 1979-1980 | Chamber Ensemble |
| Kriss Kringle's wolka paltz | 1977 | Flute, viola, trombone, and percussion |
| Things are not what they appear | 1981 | 4 french horns |
| Le phenix | 1980 | Trombone and marimba |
| The dachshund | 1975 | Voice and piano |
| Farce | 1979 | Concrete tape |
| Pink champagne | 1976 | Electric tape |
| Vinderdi vaenderdi | 1975 | Clarinet and french horn |
| Chick | 1977 | 3 percussion |
| Jabberwocky | 1980 | Baritone, piano |