Ann Loomis Silsbee (21 July 1930 - 28 August 2003) was an American composer[1] and poet who composed two operas,[2] published three books of poetry,[3] and received several awards, commissions, and fellowships.

Silsbee was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[4] She earned a bachelor's degree from Radcliffe College, a master's in music from Syracuse University, and a doctor of musical arts in composition from Cornell University. She studied with Irving Fine,[5] Earl George, and Karel Husa,[6] and in Paris with unspecified teachers.[7] Her dissertation was on a composition by Peter Maxwell Davies called Stone Litany.[8] While at Cornell, she attended a poetry seminar led by Archibald Randolph (A.R.) Ammons, whose poetry she would later set to music. She married Robert Silsbee, a physicist who taught at Cornell,[3] and they had three sons, Doug, David, and Peter.[9]

In 1964, Silsbee's work River was performed at the Ferienkurs fuer Neue Musik in Darmstadt, Germany.[10] In the late 1960s and early 1970s, she taught at the State University of Cortland (New York) and at Cornell University.[7] In the early 2000s, she hosted several poetry groups and retreats.[3] Her awards, commissions, and fellowships included:

Awards

Commissions

Fellowships

Silsbee served on the boards of the American Composers Alliance (ACA) and the International League of Women Composers. Her papers are archived at Cornell University.[3] Her works were recorded commercially on the LPs TURNA TV 34704 and NORTH NR 221,[7] and published by the ACA.[12] They include:

Books

Chamber

Dance

Electronic

Opera

Orchestra

Piano

Vocal

References

  1. ^ Hixon, Donald L. (1993). Women in music : an encyclopedic biobibliography. Don A. Hennessee (2nd ed.). Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-2769-7. OCLC 28889156.
  2. ^ a b c d e Borroff, Edith (1992). American operas : a checklist. J. Bunker Clark. Warren, Mich.: Harmonie Park Press. ISBN 0-89990-063-1. OCLC 26809841.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Zhou, Andrew. "Downriver: Ann Silsbee and the Creation of Letter from a Field Biologist". Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  4. ^ Stern, Susan (1978). Women composers : a handbook. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-1138-3. OCLC 3844725.
  5. ^ a b Anderson, Ruth (1976). Contemporary American composers : a biographical dictionary. Boston: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-1117-0. OCLC 2035024.
  6. ^ Directory of New Music. Crystal Record Company. 1983.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International encyclopedia of women composers (Second edition, revised and enlarged ed.). New York. ISBN 0-9617485-2-4. OCLC 16714846.((cite book)): CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  8. ^ Surtees, Warnaby, John. The Music Of Peter Maxwell Davies Based On The Writings Of George Mackay Brown. OCLC 1005982091.((cite book)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Home, Bangs Funeral. "Obituary for Robert H. Silsbee | Bangs Funeral Home". Obituary for Robert H. Silsbee | Bangs Funeral Home. Retrieved 2022-04-23.
  10. ^ McVicker, Mary F. (2016-08-04). Women Opera Composers: Biographies from the 1500s to the 21st Century. McFarland. ISBN 978-1-4766-2361-0.
  11. ^ a b c Heinrich, Adel (1991). Organ and harpsichord music by women composers : an annotated catalog. New York: Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-38790-6. OCLC 650307517.
  12. ^ Stewart-Green, Miriam (1980). Women composers : a checklist of works for the solo voice. Boston, Mass.: G.K. Hall. ISBN 0-8161-8498-4. OCLC 6815939.
  13. ^ Price, Nancy (2016-02-25). Cello and Double Bass Ensemble Music. Lulu.com. ISBN 978-1-329-92715-5.
  14. ^ The Clarinet. Department of Music, Idaho State University. 1980.

External links

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