Joanna Brouk

Joanna Brouk (February 20, 1949 – April 28, 2017) was an American electronic composer, author, and playwright. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Brouk earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and an M.A. from Mills College, where she studied under Robert Ashley and Terry Riley. Brouk initiated a recording career in 1980 with the debut album Healing Music, featuring flutist Maggi Payne. Her discography on the Hummingbird Productions label included The Space Between (1980) and Sounds of the Sea (1981), the latter of which utilized nature field recordings and manipulated instruments. Although Brouk ceased composing in 1985, her work received renewed recognition with the 2016 Numero Group compilation Hearing Music. Brouk performed a European debut at Festival Variations in Nantes, France, in April 2017. Brouk died on April 28, 2017.