Netty Simons (née Rothenberg) (b. 26 October 1913, d. 1 April 1994) was an American pianist, music editor, music educator and composer.

Biography

Netty Simons was born in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

and studied music at Third Street Music School. She graduated from

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then-Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, t ...

where she studied with

Marion Bauer Marion Eugénie Bauer (15 August 1882 – 9 August 1955) was an American composer, teacher, writer, and music critic. She played an active role in shaping American musical identity in the early half of the twentieth century. As a composer, ...

and

Percy Grainger Percy Aldridge Grainger (born George Percy Grainger; 8 July 188220 February 1961) was an Australian-born composer, arranger and pianist who lived in the United States from 1914 and became an American citizen in 1918. In the course of a long an ...

from 1931 to 1937, and taught at the Third Street Music School from 1928 to 1933. In 1933 she began studies with

Alexander Siloti Alexander Ilyich Siloti (also Ziloti, russian: Алекса́ндр Ильи́ч Зило́ти, ''Aleksandr Iljič Ziloti'', uk, Олександр Ілліч Зілоті; 9 October 1863 – 8 December 1945) was a Russian virtuoso pianist, ...

at the

Juilliard School of Music The Juilliard School ( ) is a private performing arts conservatory in New York City. Established in 1905, the school trains about 850 undergraduate and graduate students in dance, drama, and music. It is widely regarded as one of the most elit ...

, and in 1938 with composer

Stefan Wolpe Stefan Wolpe (25 August 1902, Berlin – 4 April 1972, New York City) was a German-Jewish-American composer. He was associated with interdisciplinary modernism, with affiliations ranging from the Bauhaus, Berlin agitprop theater and the kibbutz mo ...

. From 1961 to 1962 she was producer and coordinator of concerts at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built b ...

in New York City. She received a Recording Publication Award from the

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a US$25,000 gift from Edsel Ford. By 1947, after the death ...

in 1971. Her papers are archived at the New York Public Library and the

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely followi ...

Libraries.

Selected works

*''Songs for Wendy'' for voice and viola (''c.''1975) *''Quartet'' *''Quartet for Strings'' *''Quintet'' *''Night Sounds'' for piano *''Windfall'' *''Illuminations'' *''Piano Work 1952'' *''2 Dot for 2 Pianos'' *''Trialogue I: The Tombstone Told When She Died'' for alto, baritone and viola (1963); words by

Dylan Thomas Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and " And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" ''Unde ...

*''Trialogue II: Myselves Grieve'' for alto, baritone and viola (1969); words by Dylan Thomas *''Trialogue III: Now (Now, Say Nay)'' for mezzo-soprano, baritone and viola (1973); words by Dylan Thomas *''Songs for Jenny'' *''Three Songs'' (1950) *''Design Groups I'' (1967) *''Silver Thaw'' *''Puddintame'' *''Buckeye Has Wings'' *''Too Late, Bridge Is Closed'' *''Great Stream Sile'' *''Facets 2'', Trio for flute/piccolo, B-flat clarinet, and double bass *''Facets 3'' for oboe (or viola) and piano (1962) *''Facets 4'' for string quartet *''Cityscape No. 1'' *''Cityscape No. 2'' *''This Slowly Drifting Cloud'' *''Duo'' *''Circle of Attitudes'' for violin *''Sonata'' *''Quartet for Strings'' *''Summer's Outing'' for concert band *''Journey Sometimes Delayed'' for concert band *''Gate of Hundred Sorrows *''Wild Tales Told On the River Road'' for clarinet (or bass clarinet) and percussion *''Summer's Outing'' for concert band Simons' works have been recorded and issued on vinyl, including: *''Music for Young Listeners'' Classical/Chamber, CRI Records, 1973 *''Donald Erb/J.M. Mestres-Quadreny/Will Ogdon/Netty Simons'' Played by Bertram Turetzky, Desto Records, 1970

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simons, Netty 1913 births 1994 deaths 20th-century classical composers 20th-century American composers 20th-century women composers 20th-century American women musicians American composers American classical composers American women classical composers American women educators American music educators Educators from New York City Juilliard School alumni Musicians from New York City Tisch School of the Arts alumni