Discipline: Music Composition

Edmund Siennicki

Discipline: Music Composition
Region: Sharon Center, OH
MacDowell Fellowships: 1964, 1965

Edmund Siennicki (April 11, 1920 - May 3, 2014) was born and raised in Cleveland, OH. At the age of 12, he met and spoke with Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and the conversation had a great influence on his life. At Kent State University, he earned his bachelor's degree and wrote Fight on for KSU, which is still played at football games. In 1994, he was presented the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the School of Music. Siennicki earned his M.A. at Teachers College, Columbia University. He studied composition with Herbert Elwell, electronic music with Sergio Barroso, and consulted with Vincent Persichetti. As a professional musician he played the bassoon and piano. Siennicki's compositions have won prizes in the National School Orchestra composition contests, and he was composer in residence at MacDowell on two separate occasions. He has about 200 compositions in print, and for the last 20 years has been receiving special awards from ASCAP. His teaching career has been focused in the Cleveland Junior High Schools, but he was also employed at Michigan and Kent State University.

Studios

Veltin

Edmund Siennicki worked in the Veltin studio.

Veltin Studio was donated by alumni of the Veltin School, a school for girls in New York with a highly respected visual arts department. As the plaque just outside the entrance attests, this studio was used by poet Edwin Arlington Robinson during most of the 24 summers he spent at MacDowell. Perhaps most famously, Thornton Wilder put the finishing…

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