Katharine Mulky Warne facts for kids

Katharine Mulky Warne (born October 23, 1923 – died April 24, 2015) was an American composer, pianist, and teacher. She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is best known for starting the Darius Milhaud Society. She also organized 15 music festivals in Cleveland, Ohio, to share the music of composer Darius Milhaud with more people. She married Clinton L. Warne on June 27, 1953. They had three children: Kate, Clinton Jr., and Carolyn.

Early Life and Education

Katharine Warne studied music with famous teachers. She learned from Darius Milhaud at Mills College. She earned her bachelor's degree there in 1945. Later, she studied with Bernard Wagenaar at the Juilliard School. She received her master's degree in 1947. She also earned a doctorate degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music in 1975. Her teacher there was Donald Erb.

Katharine was very talented. She won first prize in composition contests at Mills College in both 1944 and 1945. She attended Juilliard on a special scholarship for composition. In 1959, she won first and second prizes in a contest held by the Kansas Federation of Music Clubs. She also received a grant from the Bascom Little Fund.

Teaching and Writing

Katharine Warne shared her love of music by teaching. She taught at several places, including the University of Kansas. She also taught at the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music and Kent State University. Her teaching career also included time at the Laurel School.

In 1951, she wrote an article for The American Music Teacher magazine. It was called "Some Aspects in the Teaching of Contemporary Music." This showed her interest in helping others learn about modern music.

Promoting Music and Legacy

Katharine Warne was very active in the music world. She founded the Darius Milhaud Society. This group helped promote the music of the French composer Darius Milhaud. She organized many festivals in Cleveland, Ohio, to celebrate his work.

She was also part of other musical groups. These included Mu Phi Epsilon, the Fortnightly Music Club, and the Cleveland Composers Guild. Her personal papers are kept at the Michael Schwartz Library. This library is at Cleveland State University. The records for the Darius Milhaud Society are also stored there.

Her Compositions

Katharine Warne composed many different types of music. Here are some examples of her works:

Music for Dance

• Ta Matete (for flute, viola, harp, and a dancer)

Chamber Music

This type of music is for a small group of instruments.

• Airplane Music (for violin and piano)
• Colored Reflections (for recorder and harp)
• Cryptic Evocation (for flute and piano)
• Dispositions (for harp)
• Easy Head Joint (for flute)
• Ebb and Flow (for flute)
• Echologue (for two flutes)
• Fantasy (for violin and piano)
• Fete (for two violins and piano)
• Friendly Conversation (for clarinet and piano)
• Fugal Consequences (for percussion instruments)
• Interplay (for piccolo, trumpet, and cello)
• Les Deux (for two flutes and two violins)
• Meditation (for organ)
• Now (for two flutes)
• Passacaglia (for carillon, a bell instrument)
• Sketch (for carillon)
• String Quartet (for four string instruments)
• Tetrad (for percussion instruments)
• Uncamouflaged (for flute and piano)

Orchestra Music

This music is written for a large group of instruments.

• Apollo-Orion (for a smaller orchestra)
• Epigenesis

Piano Music

• Anaphora
• Claude et Francois
• Gay Rondo (for two pianos)
• Passacaglia
• Serenata Scherzando
• Suite No. 3
• Theme and Variations
• Toccata
• Whispers

Vocal Music

This music includes singing.

• Andromache (for voice and other instruments)
• "Cradle Song" (for soprano voice and harp)
• Joining Cousins (for soprano voice, bassoon, and harp)
• O God Our Help in Ages Past (for chorus, organ, bells, and percussion)
• Psalm 36 (for soprano voice, clarinet, and organ)
• Psalm 69 (for three women's voices and harp)
• Songs (for baritone voice and piano)
• Songs (for soprano voice and piano)
• Thy Church O God in Ev'ry Age (for chorus, organ, bells, and percussion)