American-born modernist composer who was living in Austria.
Born December 30, 1930 Plainfield, N.J., USA.
Died July 29, 2023 in Vienna, Austria.
Nancy Van de Vate was a celebrated modernist composer who wrote over 100 works, including seven operas, many orchestral works and chamber music. Her musical style and influence: She created a unique musical voice that was marked by dissonance and drew from various genres and global influences, such as traditional Indonesian music. She composed music to be listened to, not to be analyzed. Her best-known pieces included “Chernobyl”, a haunting orchestral work about the 1986 nuclear disaster, and “All Quiet on the Western Front”, a searing antiwar opera based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque. She founded the League of Women Composers in 1975 and Vienna Modern Masters in 1990, both aimed at promoting new music by female composers. She also taught music at various institutions and organized courses for sailors at Pearl Harbor.