Meredith Monk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Meredith Monk
Monk in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Meredith Jane Monk
Born	(1942-11-20) November 20, 1942 (age 82) New York City, New York, US
Genres	Avant-garde
Years active	1968–present

Meredith Jane Monk (born November 20, 1942) is an American composer, performer, director, vocalist, filmmaker, and choreographer. Since the 1960s, Monk has created amazing works that mix music, theatre, and dance. She has recorded many albums with ECM Records.

In 1991, Monk created Atlas, an opera. Her music has been used in movies by famous directors like the Coen Brothers (The Big Lebowski) and Jean-Luc Godard. The hip hop artist DJ Shadow even used a part of Monk's song "Dolmen Music" in his song "Midnight in a Perfect World". In 2015, she received the National Medal of Arts from Barack Obama. This is a very high honor for artists in the United States.

Meredith Monk's Early Life

Meredith Monk was born in New York City, New York. Her father was Theodore Glenn Monk, a businessman. Her mother, Audrey Lois Monk, was a professional singer known as Audrey Marsh. Audrey's parents were also musicians. Her grandfather, Joseph B. Zellman, was a bass-baritone singer. Her grandmother, Rose Zellman, was a concert pianist. Meredith also has a sister named Tracy.

When Meredith was three, she was diagnosed with strabismus, a condition where the eyes don't line up correctly. Her mother enrolled her in a Dalcroze eurhythmics program. This program teaches music through movement. Monk says this training greatly influenced her work. It's why dance, movement, and film are so important in her music. She sees music in a very visual way. She earned her bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College. There, she studied composition.

Meredith Monk's Creative Journey

Meredith Monk is famous for her unique vocal style. She uses many different sounds and techniques with her voice. She first developed these in her solo shows. In 1961, she performed as a dancer in a children's musical called Scrooge.

After graduating from college in 1964, Monk started her own group in 1968. It was called The House. This group focused on combining different art forms like music, theater, and dance. Her performances have inspired many other artists.

In 1978, Monk formed The Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble. She wanted to explore even more vocal sounds and styles. This group often used simple instrumental music. Monk also began a long partnership with the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. They still show her work today. In 1981, Monk released Dolmen Music, her first album with ECM records.

In the 1980s, Monk wrote and directed two films: Ellis Island (1981) and Book of Days (1988). She got the idea for Book of Days while sweeping her floor. She imagined a young girl and a medieval street. She created different versions of this piece, including one for concerts and an album.

Cassettes of various Meredith Monk performances

In the early 1990s, Monk composed an opera called Atlas. It first showed in Houston, Texas, in 1991. She has also written music for instrumental groups and symphony orchestras. Her first symphonic work was Possible Sky (2003). This was followed by Stringsongs (2004) for a string quartet. The famous Kronos Quartet asked her to write this piece.

In 2005, people around the world celebrated her 40th anniversary as an artist. A special concert was held at Carnegie Hall. Many famous musicians performed, including Björk and Terry Riley. Meredith Monk was also a composer in residence for Carnegie Hall until 2015.

Monk has shared that she enjoys Brazilian music, especially Caetano Veloso. She also likes the jazz singer Mildred Bailey and Bartók's piano pieces called Mikrokosmos.

Awards and Lasting Impact

Meredith Monk in Speaking portraits

Meredith Monk has received many awards for her work. These include a MacArthur Fellowship and the Creative Capital Award. She has also been a MacDowell Fellow six times. Several colleges and universities have given her honorary Doctor of Arts degrees. These include Bard College and the Juilliard School.

In 1979, her name and picture were featured on a Supersisters trading card. In 1985, she won an Obie Award for her excellent contributions to off-Broadway theater. In 2007, she received the Demetrio Stratos International Award in Italy for her musical experiments.

On September 10, 2015, US President Barack Obama gave Monk the National Medal of Arts. This is the highest honor for artists in the United States. In 2017, Monk also received The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize.

Her music has been used in many films. These include movies by David Byrne (True Stories), the Coen Brothers (The Big Lebowski), and Jean-Luc Godard. Hip hop artist DJ Shadow used a sample from her song "Dolmen Music" in "Midnight in a Perfect World". French singer Camille honored Meredith in her song "The Monk." In 2014, Monk's music was also featured in the HBO TV series True Detective.

Meredith Monk's Works

Discography (Albums)

• Key (1971)
• Our Lady of Late (1973)
• Songs from the Hill/Tablet (1979)
• Dolmen Music (1981)
• Turtle Dreams (1983)
• Do You Be (1987)
• Book of Days (Meredith Monk album)|Book of Days (1990)
• Facing North (1992)
• Atlas: An Opera in Three Parts (1993)
• Volcano Songs (1997)
• Mercy (2002)
• Impermanence (2008)
• Beginnings (2009)
• Songs of Ascension (2011)
• Piano Songs (2014)
• On Behalf Of Nature (2016)
• Nightfall (2016)
• Memory Game (2020)

Films by or about Meredith Monk

• 1983 — Turtle Dreams - A public access film.
• 1989 — Book of Days. Monk directed and co-wrote this film.
• 1993 — The Sensual Nature of Sound: 4 Composers – Laurie Anderson, Tania León, Meredith Monk, Pauline Oliveros. A film directed by Michael Blackwood.
• 1983 — Four American Composers "Meredith Monk." Directed by Peter Greenaway.
• 1996 — Speaking of Dance: Conversations With Contemporary Masters of American Modern Dance. No. 22: Meredith Monk. Directed by Douglas Rosenberg.
• 2020 – ECM50 | 1981 – Meredith Monk: "Dolmen Music", a short film about Meredith Monk's work for ECM Records.

See also

In Spanish: Meredith Monk para niños