Elizabeth Hinkle-Turner: Making music the electronic way — by computer

		Elizabeth Hinkle-Turner, student computing services manager, uses both a computer and keyboard to compose high-tech musical creations.

On the cutting edge of technology is a place where creativity and science combine. Musicians who are looking for new and different ways of expression turn to technology to produce the sounds in their heads. Elizabeth Hinkle-Turner, student computing services manager, is one of these artists, combining her love of music and her knowledge of computers.

Music has always been a way of life for Hinkle-Turner. She began piano lessons at age 6 and the violin at age 8. She received her bachelor's degree in music composition from Trinity College in San Antonio. Later, she received her master's and doctorate in music composition from the University of Illinois.

Since coming to UNT six years ago, Turner has composed and produced electroacoustic music and accompanying video pieces for a multitude of events.

"UNT has a very impressive and well-established computer music program and their facilities are great," she says.

One of her most recent pieces, Finish Line, was composed for organ, trumpet, audiotape and video and was premiered at the 2003 International Trumpet Guild Conference.

Hinkle-Turner had been teaching a couple of classes in the College of Music and continuing her composition work when in 2000 she moved to the Computing and Information Technology Center. The office provides basic computer training for the UNT community, runs campuswide programs such as the lab check-in/out program, and provides computing services for people with disabilities.

Hinkle-Turner continues her compositions and her studies in electronic music. She recently finished the first book in her three-part series, Crossing the Line: Women Composers and Music Technology. The first volume, which will soon be available from Ashgate Press, deals with the contributions of American women in the field of electroacoustic music.

Hinkle-Turner is also an avid runner who used to run marathons frequently.

"Basically I stopped to have kids," Hinkle-Turner says. She and her husband, a high school science teacher, have two children — Jerry, 4, and J.T., 14 months.

Besides keeping her physically fit, running helped her through a tough time in her life.

"I had already been running when I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease in 1991," says Hinkle-Turner. "During chemotherapy, my doctor urged me to continue running to prevent the breakdown of muscles."

After a year of treatment, Hinkle-Turner's disease went into remission.

"After I was better I began to run marathons just to celebrate the fact that I could," she says.

Since then, Hinkle-Turner has run the Chicago Marathon twice, the Cleveland Marathon and the New Orleans-Mardi Gras Marathon.

"I've already started training for the White Rock Lake Marathon this December," she says.

BY PETER HOFSTAD paiswri2@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• UNT plans second annual beautification day
• Cleanup continues at Clark Hall following small fire
• Spring brings Texas severe weather season
• Regents approve honorary degree, authorize new athletic center completion
• Staff awards presented at sack lunch
• April brings University, Alumni Appreciation, Honors days
• UNT student is a Truman Scholarship finalist
• Faculty Senate hears provost's academic plan for future of UNT
• Division of University Relations, Communications and Marketing earns three national awards
• TAMS students are semifinalists in national science competition

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