About Heidi C. Von Gunden
Bio
Heidi Von Gunden has written the well-received The Music of Pauline Oliveros (Scarecrow, 1983), The Music of Ben Johnston (Scarecrow, 1986), The Music of Lou Harrison (Scarecrow, 1995), and The Music of Vivian Fine (Scarecrow Press, 1998) that received the 2000 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award. The books about Johnston’s and Harrison’s music are detailed studies about the composers’ use of just intonation, and the books about Oliveros and Fine contain analyses of their music and examine the issues of women composers. In addition, Von Gunden has published several compositions and contributed theoretical writings and analyses to the College Music Symposium, Neuland, Perspectives of New Music, and the International League of Women Composers Journal.
Teaching Philosophy
I view teaching as an art that is both a privilege and responsibility. My maxim in the classroom is to presume nothing. This reminds me to review previous material, to encourage questions, and to engage students in class discussion as a means of determining the level of understanding and mastery of course material. In my opinion, it is a teacher’s duty to present course material clearly, return papers promptly, and test fairly. Since not everyone learns the same way, I try to design my presentations so that I incorporate different learning styles. Lastly, I remind myself that respect for others helps to create a positive learning environment.
Education
BM, Mount Mary's College; MA (organ performance), California State University at Los Angeles; MA and PhD (composition and theory), University of California, San Diego; student of Pauline Oliveros, Robert Erickson, and Kenneth Gaburo