Sorrel Hays

Sorrel Hays (August 6, 1941 – February 9, 2020) was an American pianist, composer, filmmaker and artist. Life Hays was born Doris Ernestine Hays in Memphis, Tennessee, and in 1985 adopted her grandmother’s family name of Sorrel. She studied music with Harold Cadek at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, graduating in 1963. She continued her education for three years studying with Friedrich Wührer and Hedwig Bilgram at the Hochschule für Musik in Munich, Germany. She then studied with Paul Badura-Skoda and Rudolf Kolisch at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, graduating with a Master of Music degree. After completing her studies, Hays taught at Cornell College in Iowa, and then moved to New York City where she studied with pianist Hilde Somer. In 1971 she won first prize in the Gaudeamus Competition for Interpreters of New Music at Rotterdam, and began an international career as a pianist. She is now known as one of the world’s foremost performers of cluster piano music. She also collaborated with İlhan Mimaroğlu. In 1998 Hays was director of a graduate program in electronic music at Yildiz University, Istanbul. She also taught as a guest lecturer at colleges and universi