Gideon, Miriam (1906–1996)
Gideon, Miriam (1906–1996)
American composer. Born in Greeley, Colorado, Oct 23, 1906; died June 18, 1996, in New York, NY; dau. of Henrietta Shoninger and Abram Gideon (professor of philosophy and modern languages); had one sister, Judith; studied at the Yonkers Conservatory of Music with Hans Barth, the pianist, with her uncle, Henry Gideon, and with Felix Fox at Boston University; studied with Marion Bauer, Charles Haubiel, Jacques Pillois, a distinguished French composer, Lazare Saminsky, a well-known Russian composer, and with Roger Sessions at New York University; Columbia University, MA in musicology, 1946; Jewish Theological Seminary, Doctor of Sacred Music in Composition, 1970; m. Frederic Ewen (professor of German literature), 1949.
The 1st woman commissioned to write a complete synagogue service, was probably the most recorded woman composer of her era; taught at Brooklyn College, City College of the City University of New York, the Manhattan School of Music, and the Jewish Theological Seminary; saw Lyric Piece for Strings premiered with the London Symphony Orchestra (1944); won the Ernest Bloch Prize for choral music (1948); won the National Federation of Music Clubs National Award to a woman composer (1969); was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters (1975).
See also Women in World History.