Marion Verhaalen facts for kids
Marion Verhaalen (born December 9, 1930 – died March 16, 2020) was an amazing American composer, music teacher, and music expert. She was also a nun who wrote books about composers and music from Latin America.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Journey
Marion Verhaalen was born in Milwaukee. She was the fifth child in her family. From a young age, she loved music. She could play the accordion and piano just by listening! When she was 12, she started taking music lessons. In high school, she began writing her own music for the organ.
In 1949, Marion joined the School Sisters of St. Francis. She took the name Sister Mary Vernon. She studied hard and earned several degrees in music. She got her first music degree in piano from Alverno College. Then, she earned a master's degree in piano from Catholic University. Later, she received a special doctorate degree in music education from Columbia University Teachers College. For her final project, she wrote about the piano music of two famous composers, Francisco Mignone and Camargo Guarnieri. This project was so good that it was later published as a book!
Awards and Research
Marion Verhaalen received two scholarships from Teachers College in 1968 and 1969. These helped her continue her studies. She also got a special grant from the Organization of American States. This grant allowed her to travel to Brazil in 1969. There, she studied the music of Francisco Mignone and Camargo Guarnieri, the composers she wrote about.
In 1980, the Wisconsin Federation of Music Clubs named her the "Outstanding Milwaukee Musician." This was a big honor for her musical talents.
Teaching and Publications
Marion Verhaalen loved to teach music. She worked as a teaching assistant at Teachers College from 1967 to 1969. She also led music education workshops for the National Piano Foundation. For a while, she was an editor for Musart Magazine.
She taught at the Elm School for the Creative Arts for 19 years. She also taught at other colleges, including Alverno College, the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, and Cardinal Stritch University. Marion created a special piano course for public schools in Milwaukee. This course was published as a series of books called Keyboard Dimensions I, II, III, and IV.
Marion also traveled to Brazil 11 times! She spent a total of three years there, learning even more about Brazilian music.
Near the end of her life, Marion Verhaalen said that "Music has been a powerful ministry for me." This shows how much music meant to her. Her collection of research on Camargo Guarnieri and 20th-century Brazilian music is kept at the Benson Latin American Collection at the University of Texas at Austin.
Published Works
Marion Verhaalen's music was published by several companies, including GIA Publications, Hal Leonard, and Theodore Presser Company.
Books
- Camargo Guarnieri, Brazilian Composer: A Study of His Creative Life and Works
- (The) Solo Piano Music of Francisco Mignone and Camargo Guarnieri
Chamber Music
- Samba (for guitar)
Dance Music
- Four Dances of Affliction (for flute, violin, and piano)
- Haves and Have Nots (for percussion and piano)
Piano and Organ Music
- Keyboard Dimensions I, II, III, and IV
- Organ arrangements and compositions
- Piano arrangements and compositions
- Three Postludes (for organ)
Theater Music
- Under the Greenwood Tree (for children's chorus, piano, flute, clarinet, and strings)
Vocal Music
- Imaginary Invalid (words by Moliere; for chorus and piano)
- Judith: An Oratorio (for four solo singers, chorus, and chamber orchestra)
- On the Seashore of Endless Worlds (words by Rabindranath Tagore; for soprano, string quartet, string bass, flute, and bassoon)
- Prairie Woman Song Cycle (words by Tom Montag)
- Text of St. Paul (for chorus and electric tape)
