Alan Hovhaness died on June 21 in Seattle, Washington, at the age of 89. A prolific composer who embraced melody in an atonal age and drew heavily on music of the East, he was born in Somerville, Massachusetts on March 8, 1911, and studied at the New England Conservatory of Music as a pupil of Frederick Converse. From 1948 to 1951 he was on the faculty of the Boston Conservatory of Music, and most recently served as composer in residence for the Seattle Symphony. He wrote more than 60 symphonies, 100 chamber pieces, two ballets, dozens of compositions for solo piano, and hundreds of songs and choral works. His organ works include Dawn Hymn, Sanahin (Partita) op. 69, Bare November Day, Sonata op. 352, Sonata op. 382, Sonata No. 2 "The Invisible Sun" op. 356; works for organ and other instruments: Sonata for Flute and Organ, Sonata for Oboe and Organ, Sonata for Trumpet and Organ, Sonata for Two Oboes and Organ, and the Prayer of St. Gregory for Trumpet and Organ.
