I know her!
She came to Oberlin two years ago to do the American Premiere of her opera "Lost Highway," based on the film by David Lynch. I attended both premiere performances and got to speak to her in masterclasses and after lectures.
She's kind of mean, actually
.
The opera, "Lost Highway," incorporates live aural and visual electronics, and she wound up redoing all the electronics three days before opening night. Kept the cast and orchestra in rehearsal until 3 AM.
I agree that her music is very good. However, I don't know that she's "hope for contemporary music." I think that title is hard to apply to anyone, given the pluralistic nature of music being produced today. Everyone seems to be trying to break out of the "isms" of the past, either by departing from them entirely, or by mixing aspects of them together to create new aesthetic systems.