Vivian Fine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vivian Fine
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| Background information | |
| Born | September 28, 1913 Chicago, Illinois |
| Died | March 20, 2000 (aged 86) Bennington, Vermont, U.S. |
| Genres | 20th-century classical |
| Occupation(s) | Composer |
Vivian Fine (born September 28, 1913 – died March 20, 2000) was an amazing American composer. She started playing piano at a very young age and became known for her unique musical style. Vivian Fine wrote many different kinds of music, including pieces for orchestras, songs for singers, and even operas.
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Early Life and Musical Talent
Vivian Fine was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were David and Rose Fine. From a very young age, Vivian showed incredible talent for playing the piano.
A Young Piano Prodigy
When she was just five years old, Vivian became the youngest student ever to win a scholarship. This scholarship was for the Chicago Musical College. This showed how special her musical abilities were.
Learning from Great Teachers
At age eleven, Vivian started studying with Djane Lavoie-Herz. She was a student of a famous composer named Scriabin. Vivian composed her first piece of music when she was thirteen. She was also studying harmony with Ruth Crawford Seeger, who thought Vivian was a very promising student. Through her teachers, Vivian met other important musicians like Henry Cowell. They all supported her amazing talent.
Professional Music Career
Vivian Fine started her professional career as a composer when she was sixteen. Her music was performed in Chicago, New York, and even in Germany. This was a big step for such a young composer.
Moving to New York
In 1931, when she was 18, Vivian moved to New York City. She wanted to continue her music studies there. She joined a group called Aaron Copland's Young Composers Group. She also took part in the first Yaddo Festival in 1932.
A Performer and Leader
Vivian Fine helped start the American Composers Alliance in 1937. She later served as its vice-president from 1961 to 1965. Besides composing, Vivian also continued to perform. In the 1930s, she was one of the most well-known performers of modern piano music in New York. She played new pieces by composers like Charles Ives and Aaron Copland.
Vivian Fine's Musical Style
Vivian Fine's music changed and grew throughout her career. She liked to try new things and make each piece sound different.
A Unique Sound
Her early music was often very complex and had many different musical lines playing at once. Later, she studied with Roger Sessions, and her music became a bit more traditional for a while. However, she soon returned to a more free and expressive style. She used many different techniques in her music.
Music with Fun and Feeling
One special thing about Vivian Fine's music was her sense of fun. Sometimes, a whole piece would be playful, like The Race of Life. Other times, she would add a funny part into a more serious piece.
Writing for Voices
Vivian Fine wrote many pieces for singers. She used poems by famous writers like Shakespeare, Keats, and Emily Dickinson. She also composed two chamber operas. An opera is a play where most of the words are sung.
Her Operas
- The Women in the Garden (1978): This opera used writings from famous women like Emily Dickinson and Virginia Woolf. It imagined conversations between them.
- Memoirs of Uliana Rooney (1994): This was Vivian Fine's last big composition. It was a funny opera about a composer named Uliana Rooney. The story followed Uliana as she lived through the 20th century and found success.
Awards and Legacy
Vivian Fine received many awards for her contributions to music.
Important Recognitions
She won a Guggenheim Fellowship, which is a special award for artists and scholars. She also received grants from many foundations, including Ford and Rockefeller. In 1980, she was chosen to be a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This is a very high honor for artists in the United States.
Teaching and Influence
For many years, Vivian Fine was a beloved teacher at Bennington College in Vermont. Her orchestral piece Drama for Orchestra was even a finalist for the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Music. Her original music papers are kept safe at the Library of Congress.
Later Years
Vivian Fine passed away in Bennington, Vermont, at the age of 86. She died after being in a car accident.
