Gitta Steiner facts for kids

Gitta Hana Steiner (born April 17, 1932 – died January 1, 1990) was an American composer and pianist. She was especially known for writing music for percussion instruments, like drums and xylophones.

About Gitta Steiner's Life

Gitta Steiner was born in Prague, which is now the capital of the Czech Republic. Her parents were Erna Bondy and Erhard (Eric) Steiner. In 1940, when Gitta was eight years old, her family moved to New York City in the United States. They became U.S. citizens the very next year, in 1941.

Her Musical Journey

Gitta Steiner loved music and studied it seriously. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees from the famous Juilliard School in New York. Juilliard is one of the top performing arts schools in the world! While she was there, she received a special award called the Abraham Ellstein Scholarship.

In 1967, she was also a fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center. This is a well-known summer music academy and festival in Massachusetts. Gitta had some very important teachers, including famous composers like Elliott Carter, Vincent Persichetti, and Gunther Schuller. Later, she shared her musical knowledge by teaching piano and music theory. She taught private lessons and also at the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music.

Awards and Recognition

Gitta Steiner received many awards for her musical talents. In 1972, she won an award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). ASCAP is a group that helps protect the rights of music creators and pays them when their music is performed.

Other honors she received included the Donnell Library Composer’s Forum Honor, the Gretchaninoff Memorial Prize, and the Marion Freschl Award. Her music was published by a company called Seesaw Music Corporation, which is now known as Subito Music Corporation. This meant her compositions could be shared and performed by musicians everywhere.