Claire Polin (January 1, 1926 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – December 6, 1995 in Merion, Pennsylvania) was an American composer of contemporary classical music, musicologist, and flutist.
Education
She obtained degrees in music (including a doctorate) from the Philadelphia Conservatory; she also received her Master's Degree at the Juilliard School and her doctorate at Tanglewood. Her teachers included Vincent Persichetti, Lukas Foss, Roger Sessions, and Peter Mennin. She also studied flute with William Kincaid, with whom she collaborated on a multi-volume method of flute technique.
Career
Her works were commissioned and performed by the Seoul National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonia, the Israel Bach Society, and the London Pro Musica Antiqua of Westminster, as well as by William Kincaid, Gordon Gottlieb, and the Gregg Smith Singers.
Polin served on the faculty at Rutgers University, where she taught composition, as well as courses in the music of the Bible, music of ancient Wales, and music of Russia. She also published books on musicological subjects.
Personal life
She is survived by two sons, Josef and Gabriel Schaff, and one grandchild.
List of works
Note: This is not a complete list. In some cases, the dates listed may have been the original publication date as opposed to the year it was written. Many pieces were published several times in new editions.
Compositions
Sonata No. 1 for Flute 1959
Symphony in two movements 1960
No-Rai: Songs from Korea, 1963? Soprano Voice, Flute, Double Bass
Sonata for Flute and Harp 1964/73
No Man is an Island, SATB chorus, piano, 196_
Serpentine: Lyrical instances for solo viola and imaginary dancer, 1965
Structures for Solo Flute 1965
Consecutivo: Study on a Requiem, 1966
Summer Settings, harp, 1967
Makimono, flute, clarinet, violin, violoncello, piano, 1969
Second Sonata for flute and harp (From the Painter’s Brush), 197x
Music for the Prince of Wales: Hen ganiadau gwanwyn, medium high voice (male or female) with cello accompaniment Cader Idris: Landscape for Brass Quintet, 1971 Infinito: A Requiem, alto sax, soprano solo, narrator, SATB chorus, 1972 Out of childhood; variations on Russian-Turkish folksongs for piano, 1972 Margóä for solo flute, 1972 O, Aderyn Pur, Flute, Alto Sax, Tape, or flute solo 1972 The Death of Procris: Studies After a Painting by Piero di Cosimo, 1972-73 Flute and Tuba Telemannicon: Solo obe flute, canonically played with tape or live, 1974 Second Symphony, 1974 Journey of Owain Madoc: Symphonic Meditations on the Discovery of America, 1974 Scenes from Gilgamesh, flute and string orchestra, 1974 Makimono II: for brass quintet, 1975 Laissez sonner for solo piano, 1976 Pièce d’encore: for solo viola (or violin), 1976 Synaulia II, flute(alto fl), clar(bass clar), piano, 1976 Paraselene: Dark nebulae I: Book of Songs for Soprano, Flute, and Piano, 1976/77 A klockwork diurnal, alto sax, French horn, bassoon, 1977 Amphion: for symphony orchestra, 1977 Wind Songs for soprano and guitar, 1978? Vigniatures: Variations for Violin and Harp, 1979 Felína, Felína, violin, harp, 1980 Res naturae: The Carmarthan dove in a mialiseet dance, woodwind quintet, 1980 Dark nebulae II: Ma’a lot, viola and percussion, 1981 Georgics: After Virgil for Solo Flute, 1981 Mythos: Concerto for Harp and String Orchestra, 1982 Kuequenaku-Cambiola, percussion and piano, 1983 Phantasmagoria, piano 4 hands, 1985 Freltic Sonata for Violin and Piano, 1985 Shirildang: trans-Ural Suite for piano, 1991 Walum olum, clarinet, viola, piano