Monica Witni

Monica Witni Cassin (née Bowden; July 5, 1918 – September 7, 1982) was an American composer, pianist, playwright, and double bass player.[1]

Monica Witni Bowden was born in Fairfax, Minnesota. She began piano lessons at age six and studied with Jose Eschniz. She received scholarships to play double bass at Southern Illinois University and Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Monica taught briefly and played double bass in a jazz trio and with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. She married James Cassin in 1953,[2] and published music under the names Monica Witni, Monica Witni Cassin, and under the pseudonym Mirriam Bowden Henningfeld.[3]

Monica Witni died in Pomona, New York on September 7, 1982, at the age of 64.[4]

Her compositions include:[5]

Ballet
  • Zarea and the Purple Rainbow (1968)

Chamber
  • Dimensions in Rhythm (viola)
  • March, Fantasia, and Fugue (organ)
  • Modal Etude (viola; 1948)
  • String Quartet in e minor (1969)
  • Summer Holiday (viola)
  • Sweet One (viola)
  • Twilight Serenade (viola)

Electronic
  • Tapestry (English horn, harp, celeste, vibraphone, and double bass)

Musical theatre
  • Wizard (1964)

Opera
  • Children of the Sun (three acts; 1975)
  • Dark of Summer (one act; 1967)
  • El Pope (one act; 1950)

Orchestra
  • Organ Concerto in c minor (1948)
  • Piano Concerto in f minor
  • Rhapsody Petite (oboe and string orchestra)[6]
  • Symphony #1 (1947)
  • Symphony #2 (1956)
  • Symphony #5[7]
  • Tambores Subsurrantes
  • Viola Concerto in c minor[8]

Play
  • Black Camellia[9]
  • One of Us is Missing[10]

Song
  • "I've Got to Face the Future" (with Jack Gould)[11]

References
  1. Stern, Susan (1978). Women Composers : A Handbook. Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-1138-3. OCLC 3844725.
  2. Cassin, Monica Witni. "ancestry.com".
  3. Catalog of Copyright Entries. Part 1. [C] Group 3. Dramatic Composition and Motion Pictures. New Series. 1946.
  4. "Obituaries". White Plains, New York: The Journal News. 8 September 1982. p. 14. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  5. Cohen, Aaron I. (1987). International encyclopedia of women composers (Second edition, revised and enlarged ed.). New York. ISBN 0-9617485-2-4. OCLC 16714846.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1975). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  7. Foundation, Fromm Music (1975). Music of the Last Forty Years Not Yet Established in the Repertoire: A Survey. Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard.
  8. Office, Library of Congress Copyright (1960). Catalog of Copyright Entries: Third series.
  9. Dramas and Works Prepared for Oral Delivery. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1953.
  10. Dramas and Works Prepared for Oral Delivery. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1977.
  11. "Full text of "Catalog of Copyright Entries 1953 Unpublished Music Jan–Dec 3D Ser Vol 7 Pt 5B"". archive.org. Retrieved 2020-07-14.
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