Erzsébet Gaál
Overview
 
Erzsébet Gaál is a native of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...

 currently living in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....

, where she is an active professional harp
Harp
The harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...

ist, Kodály pedagogue
Kodály Method
The Kodály Method, also referred to as the Kodály Concept, is an approach to music education developed in Hungary during the mid-twentieth century by Zoltán Kodály...

 and a researcher in the field of physical wellness for musicians. She studied with Distinguished Professor Susann McDonald
Susann McDonald
Susann McDonald is an American-born classical harpist. In addition to a successful performing career, she has made a number of recordings and held significant academic and organizational posts.-Life:...

 at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...

 where she graduated with a Doctor of Music
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...

in Harp Performance and Harp Literature in 2000.
Pro Artibus Award, 2006. The Artisjus Music Foundation in Budapest, Hungary, recognized Gaál for promoting Hungarian contemporary music abroad during the past 18 years.
Harpa Hungarica, 2001.
Quotations

Since we are what we are, what shall we be But what we are? We are, we have Six feet and seventy years, to see The light, and then resign it for the grave.

"Spiritual Explorations" from Poems of Dedication (1947)

Great poetry is always written by somebody straining to go beyond what he can do.

As quoted in The New York Times (26 March 1961)

There is a certain justice in criticism. The critic is like a midwife — a tyrannical midwife.

Lecture at Brooklyn College, as quoted in The New York Times (20 November 1984)

I'm struggling at the end to get out of the valley of hectoring youth, journalistic middle age, imposture, moneymaking, public relations, bad writing, mental confusion.

On turning 70 in Journals 1939-83 (1986), as quoted by R Z Sheppard in TIMEmagazine (20 January 1986)

I say, stamping the words with emphasis, Drink from here energy and only energy

"Not Palaces" (l. 8–9).

Eye, gazelle, delicate wanderer, Drinker of horizon’s fluid line; Ear that suspends on a chord The spirit drinking timelessness; Touch, love, all senses...

"Not Palaces"(l. 12–16). . .

No one Shall hunger: Man shall spend equally. Our goal which we compel: Man shall be man.

"Not Palaces" (l. 23–25)

 
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