Patsy Rogers

Patsy Rogers (born 19 January 1938) is an American composer and teacher who has won several awards and commissions. She is active in the International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM).{{Cite book |last=Cohen |first=Aaron I. |title=International Encyclopedia of Women Composers |date=1987 |publisher=Books & Music (USA) |isbn=978-0-9617485-0-0 |pages=596 |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Music |first=International Alliance for Women in |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WHEJAQAAMAAJ&q=patsy+rogers+composer |title=IAWM Journal |date=2003 |publisher=The Alliance |language=en}}

Rogers was born in New York City. She earned a B.A. (1960) and M.A. (1962) from Bennington College. She also studied at Columbia University and Smith College.{{Cite book |last=Heinrich |first=Adel |title=Organ and harpsichord music by women composers: an annotated catalog |date=1991 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=978-0-313-26802-1 |series=Music reference collection |location=New York |pages=107, 317}} Her teachers included Henry Brant, Louis Calabro, Vivian Fine, Iva Dee Hiatt, and Lionel Nowak.{{Cite book |last=McVicker |first=Mary Frech |title=Women opera composers: biographies from the 1500s to the 21st century |date=2016 |publisher=McFarland & c |isbn=978-0-7864-9513-9 |location=Jefferson, N.C |pages=156}}

Rogers has taught composition, guitar, piano, and recorder at the Antioch Graduate School (Keene, New Hampshire), Brattleboro School of Music, Brooklyn College, Keene State College, New Lincoln School, Mannes School of Music, United Nations International School (New York), and the University of Massachusetts (Amherst). She conducts the Recorder Orchestra of New York.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Patsy |title=Learn Recorder |url=https://learnrecorder.com/recorder-teacher-new-suffolk-patsy-rogers/ |access-date=17 April 2024 |website=learnrecorder.com}}{{Cite web |last=La Gorce |first=Tammy |date=2015-04-30 |title=A 'Baby Instrument' All Grown Up |url=https://www.nytimes.com/ |archive-url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/03/nyregion/a-baby-instrument-all-grown-up.html |archive-date=2015-05-03 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=www.nytimes.com |language=en}}

Rogers has won several awards and commissions:

  • 1982 performance award at the First National Congress on Women in Music
  • 1983 winner, Gladys Turk Song Search
  • 1983 commissioned by Wendy G. Hill to composer Sonja

In addition to composing, Rogers has arranged works by Gabriel Faure, Joseph Haydn, and Arnold Schoenberg. Her own compositions have been commercially recorded by Lucille Fields on the Cambria label.{{Cite web |title=Lucille Field – Songs by American Women Composers {{!}} femalecomposers.org |url=https://femalecomposers.org/records/lucille-field-songs-by-american-women-composers-crawford-seeger-ruth/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=femalecomposers.org}} She has supported the Rites of Spring Musical Festival on Long Island,{{Cite web |title=Rites of Spring Music Festival |url=https://www.ritesmusic.org/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=RITES OF SPRING MUSIC FESTIVAL |language=en}} as well as the Miriam Gideon Prize, which she offered through the IAWM for works by a female composer over 50 for solo voice with one to five instruments.{{Cite web |title=43rd IAWM Search for New Music Competition |url=https://www.newmusicengine.org/categories/43rd-IAWM-Search-for-New-Music-Competition/index.html |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=www.newmusicengine.org |language=en}}

In his book Recent American Art Song, Keith E. Clifton noted that “composer Judith Lang Zaimont describes Rogers’ style as ‘purposefully accessible to the average listener,’ and Rogers has referred to her own free use of the tonal system as ‘floating tonalities.’”{{Cite book |last=Clifton |first=Keith E. |title=Recent American Art Song: A Guide |date=2008 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-6210-4 |pages=158–159 |language=en}}

Roger’s compositions are published by Casio Publishing Company{{Cite book |last=Mabry |first=Sharon |title=Exploring Twentieth-century Vocal Music: A Practical Guide to Innovations in Performance and Repertoire |date=2002 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-514198-6 |pages=165 |language=en}} and  Hildegarde Publishing Company.{{Cite web |title=Rogers, Patsy - 5 Songs From Sonja |url=https://www.boosey.com/shop/prod/Rogers-Patsy-5-Songs-From-Sonja/2566269 |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=www.boosey.com |language=en}} They include:

Ballet

  • Crayons (chamber ensemble)
  • How the Elephant Got Its Trunk (chamber ensemble)

Chamber

  • Five Duos (clarinet and cello)
  • Fortune Cookies (violin, viola and cello)
  • Suite of Short Pieces (alto recorder)
  • Threads: A Study in Percussion Sonorities for Two Players
  • Trio (flute, viola and bassoon)
  • Wind Octet

Opera

  • Woman Alive: Conversation Against Death (text by Eve Merriam){{Cite book |last=Stewart-Green |first=Miriam |title=Women composers: a checklist of works for the solo voice |date=1980 |publisher=G.K. Hall |isbn=978-0-8161-8498-9 |series=A Reference publication in women's studies |location=Boston, Mass |pages=61}}

Orchestra

  • Bridges
  • Concerto for Viola
  • Concerto for Violin
  • Fanfare (chamber orchestra)
  • For Betty Crocker (text by Ellen Mason; chamber orchestra and women’s chorus)
  • Ostinatia (chamber orchestra and harpsichord)

Organ

  • Christmas Overture: Festival of Carols (brass, organ and percussion)
  • Wedding March: Processional, Recessional (organ and percussion)

Theatre

  • A Husband’s Notes About Her (text by Eve Merriam)

Vocal

  • Anthem for Children’s Choir (with organ)
  • Chinese Songs (soprano, viola and cello)
  • Five Songs from Sonja
  • Six French Songs (soprano and piano)
  • Seven Macabre Songs (soprano, tenor and piano)
  • Womansongs (a collection of songs for women’s voices based on poetry by women){{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5yuyAAAAIAAJ&q=patsy+rogers+composer |title=Ikon: Creativity and Change |date=1982 |publisher=Ikon Press |language=en}}

References