Christiane-Josée Vigneron-Ramackers (25 January 1914 – 30 August 2002), also known as Jo Delande, was a Belgian music educator, conductor and composer. She is known for founding the Academie voor Muziek, Theater & Dans in Maasmechelen in 1945 and for several prize-winning compositions.
Biography Josée Vigneron-Ramackers was born on 25 January 1914, in Leopoldsburg, Limbourg in Belgium. Her father was director of the boys' school of the Coal Mines in Eisden, where she lived from 1921. Her mother was the daughter of lyricist Jean-G. Close, and a soprano singing in charity concerts.
She studied at the Zusters Kindsheid Jesu's (Sisters of the Childhood of Jesus) normal school in Hasselt, and at the Limburgse Orgel- en Zangschool under the tuition of Herman and Arthur Meulemans, where she learned harmony and counterpoint. She obtained her organ, piano and teaching diplomas in 1934.
Vigneron-Ramackers was then appointed to the Koninklÿk Atheneum of Eisden and the Atheneum of Maaseik, where she taught singing and drawing from 1934 to 1969. In the meantime, she pursued her studies by correspondence, learning about fugue with Herman Meulemans, and orchestration with Arthur Meulemans and Paul Gilson.
In 1945, she founded the free music school Tuinwijk in Eisden, which would become the Gemeentelijke Muziekacademie in 1973, when taken over by the Maasmechelen community, and served as its director until 1979. According to the , this academy was seen as "the cradle of musical life in the whole Maasland region." There, great importance was paid to the all-round education of musicians: compulsory Dutch and cultural history courses were introduced, as well as numerous exhibitions and drawing lessons.
In 1955, she created the Jeugd en Muziek department in Eisden, and opened a free music course for youth (Jeugdmuziekschool) in her academy, in order to remedy to some extent the pedagogical shortcomings of formal music education.
Vigneron-Ramackers also got involved in her father's school orchestra, turning the pre-war amateur band into a full-fledged chamber orchestra, the Kamerorkest van de Muziekacademie.
She received the Koopal Prize from the Ministry of Education and Culture in 1961 for five of her compositions. On 8 February 1978, she was awarded the prize for music of the province of Limburg. On 14 March 1981, she was made Officer of the Order of Leopold II by the Governor Vandermeulen.
Musical style Most of her music was composed with small ensembles in mind. She was at first influenced by the impressionist current, then her work turned out to be more in the neo-classical vein.
Compositions
Works for orchestra
1958: Concertino, for oboe and chamber orchestra 1969: Mobiles, for 4 clarinets, percussion and string orchestra Studies, for small orchestra
Works for wind orchestra
1957: Vier etudes, for symphonic wind orchestra
Musical theatre
Stage music
1936: Er was eens 1937: De Sneeuwkoningin 1938: Het daghet (text by Ysbrand Paulus Stasse)
Vocal music
Works for choir
1972: Drie zangen van liefde en dood
Songs
1943: Rossignol, es-tu damné?, for voice and piano 1943: Quatre mélodies, for voice and piano 1956: Trois mélodies, for voice and orchestra 1972: Vocalise, for voice and piano, op. 18 1981: Vocalise 2, for voice and piano, op. 20 1982: Huit mélodies, for voice and piano 1984: Dix Vocalises, for voice and piano Sept mélodies, for soprano and piano, op. 61 Vieilles chansons et rondes françaises, for middle voice and piano
Chamber music
1958: Duo rhapsodique, for clarinet and piano 1958: Hommage à Maurice Van Guchte, for clarinet octet 1959: Saxofoonkwartet 1965: Petit cortège presque chinois, for piano and two timbales, op. 10 1968: 3 Études de style, for oboe and saxophone 1972: Alternato, for cor anglais and piano 1984: Sonatine, for oboe and organ
Works for organ
1972: Haute Fagnes, op. 15
Works for piano
1967: Ballade des oiseaux captifs 1968: 6 Mini studi, op. 11 1971: 2 Preludi, op. 12
Works for guitar
1972: Variations sur Harbouya
Pedagogical works
1967: Van kleuterdreun naar notenleer 1968: Door volkslied tot notenleer 1971: Notenboekje
References