Judith Lang Zaimont facts for kids
Judith Lang Zaimont ([ˈzeɪmɒnt]; born November 8, 1945) is an American composer and pianist. She is known for her unique musical style and for supporting other women composers.
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About Judith Lang Zaimont
Judith Lang Zaimont was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Her family was Jewish. Both Judith and her sister, Doris Lang Kosloff, started piano lessons with their mother, Bertha Lang. Bertha was a talented pianist and singer. She was also very active in music and led the New York State Music Teachers Association.
Judith began studying at Juilliard when she was 12 years old. From 1958 to 1964, she learned piano and music theory there. She studied piano with Rosina Lhévinne. She also learned theory and played duo-piano with Ann Hull. Judith and Doris became successful duo-pianists. They even appeared on TV shows like Lawrence Welk's and Mitch Miller's. In 1963, they performed for the first time at Carnegie Hall.
Judith's musical talent was clear from a young age. Her family remembers her singing in her sleep as a child. She could also play music by ear (without sheet music) and read new music very quickly. She started composing after playing music by Chopin. She didn't like practicing because she didn't enjoy playing the same notes over and over. She once said, "I like to mess around with the notes." She began trying to compose at age eleven. When she was just twelve, she won first place from the National Federation of Music Clubs for one of her pieces.
Education and Teaching Career
Judith Zaimont continued her studies after high school. She earned a diploma from the Long Island Institute of Music in 1966. She then got her bachelor's degree from Queens College in 1968. Later, in 1978, she earned her master's degree from Columbia University.
She studied composition with Hugo Weisgall and Jack Beeson at Queens College. At Columbia, she studied with Otto Luening. She also traveled to France on a special fellowship to learn about orchestration from André Jolivet. Orchestration is the art of arranging music for an orchestra.
Zaimont has taught music at several universities. These include the Peabody Conservatory of Music, Adelphi University, and the University of Minnesota. She is now retired from teaching.
Her Musical Style
Zaimont's music often uses ideas from older musical periods. These include Romanticism and Impressionism. She also adds modern techniques from the 20th century. Her music usually has a clear key (tonal) and a recognizable structure. She is proud that her music has a clear form but is still very creative.
One special thing about Zaimont's music is her use of complex rhythms. She often changes the time signature suddenly. She believes rhythm is the most important part that holds a piece of music together. She likes to make the listener guess when the main beat will arrive. She also uses different rhythms at the same time, called cross rhythms.
Zaimont says her melodies are more inspired by instruments than by singing. This means her melodies often have unusual shapes and jumps. They also tend to move in a straight line. She adds changes in mood, dance rhythms, and story-like titles to her pieces. Many of her works are inspired by nature. She describes her style as "very dramatic with non-traditional but tonal underpinnings." She also says, "My style is essentially chromatic and non-contrapuntal." This means her music uses many notes outside the main scale and doesn't focus on multiple independent melodies.
Texture is also important in her music. She is very good at writing music that sounds natural for each instrument. This comes from her strong "inner hearing." She had to rely on this even more after an ear operation in 1984. It caused her to lose hearing in her left ear. She once said, "When I woke up the next morning, I couldn't hear birds. And I haven't heard them through natural hearing ever since."
Musical Influences
Judith Zaimont was inspired by many famous composers. These include Berlioz, Chopin, Scriabin, Prokofiev, Debussy, Ravel, Messiaen, Stravinsky, and Copland.
She liked how these composers used texture, fast harmonic rhythm, and musical patterns. She said, "I prefer textures where there's a lot of 'stuff'." She also added that her melodies need clear textures. She has been called a "Romantic Modernist," which she finds accurate. Her early works show influences from Gershwin and Jazz. She also loves French music, especially Debussy, and music with words. Even though composers are influenced by others, Zaimont believes it's important for each composer to find their own unique voice.
Her Impact on Music
Judith Lang Zaimont has worked hard to bring attention to the challenges faced by women composers. While she strongly supports women composers, she doesn't like being called a "woman composer." She said she never heard the term "adjective-composer" until 1972. A radio host asked her what it was like to be a "woman composer." She paused because she had never thought of herself that way.
She has also pointed out that women composers are often missing from music lessons. She believes students don't learn enough about female composers, especially living ones. She has encouraged teachers to include more music by women and new music in their college courses. Zaimont herself has written music for many different skill levels.
She was also the main editor for a book series called The Musical Woman: An International Perspective. These books were published because women composers from the past were often forgotten. Her many publications, including this series and other articles, are a major achievement.
Awards and Honors
Judith Lang Zaimont has received many awards for her music:
- National Federation of Music Clubs, 10 prizes (1962–1970)
- Debussy Fellowship of the Alliance Françoise (1971–1972)
- MacDowell Fellowship (1971 and 1976)
- Guggenheim Fellowship (1983)
- International Alliance for Women in Music Recording Award for Neon Rhythm (1995)
- Honored Composer at the Van Cliburn International Competition (2001)
- Aaron Copland Award (2003)
- Gottschalk Centenary Composition Gold Medal for Man's Image and His Cry (1969)
- National Endowment for the Arts (1982)
- McCollin International Composition Competition First Prize for Symphony no.1 (1995)
- BMI Young Composer Award for Four Songs for Mezzo-Soprano and Piano (1996)
- Artist Fellowship in Music Composition-Bush Foundation (2005)
List of Works
You can find a full list of Judith Lang Zaimont's musical works online: [1].
