Gay music?

While I'm directing people to a DePauw blog, I should also point you to a fascinating post by my colleague, Eric Edberg. Later this week Jake Heggie is coming to campus as the featured composer in our annual Music of the 21st Century festival. Eric will be performing several pieces, and reflects on what Heggie's homosexuality means to him as a fellow gay musician. I am also dubious that gay composers automatically compose tonal music, or even accessible music. Ned Rorem's music does not get the performances it deserves. In the other direction, one of the fathers of American neotonality, George Rochberg, was not gay. Yet his later music is very tonal. But enough of my thoughts. Go read Eric's descriptions of the impacts of homosexuality on his life, which naturally impacts his music.