The music of Ella Kaale [Kah-lee] (b. 2003) is perpetually chasing cathartic release, characterized by collagism, abstraction, and polarity. Kaale is an alumna of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America’s Composer Apprenticeship, where she was mentored by Sean Shepherd. Her music has been performed by the USC Thornton Symphony, TAK Ensemble, CORVUS, Hub New Music, Pacific Chamber Orchestra, Dolce Suono Ensemble, the New York Youth Symphony Jazz Ensemble, the Bergamot Quartet, Schroeder Umansky Duo, harpist Bridget Kibbey, and flautist Mimi Stillman. Her honors include a Semi-Finalist for the American Composers Orchestra EarShot Readings with ROCO, Most Valuable Player for the USC Composition Department, a YoungArts Merit Award, a Luna Composition Lab Honorable Mention, the Texas Music Scholar Award, the American Festival for the Arts Composition Faculty Excellence Award, the Parent-Teacher Association Reflections Fine Arts Competition National Award of Excellence, and an Honorable Mention for the NextNotes High School Music Creator Award. Additionally, Kaale is a composition Teaching Artist Assistant with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) Meet the Music program. She is currently a junior in the B.M. Composition program at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, studying with Christopher Trapani, Ted Hearne, and Andrew Norman.
