Monica Germino (born 1974) is an American and Dutch violinist.[1][2]
Germino spent her early years in Virginia, US.[2] She is a graduate of Yale and the New England Conservatory.[2][3] In 1993 she received a
grant to study music in The Netherlands.[2] Germino resides in The Netherlands.[2]
Germino collaborates with "electronic sound designer" Frank van der Weij. Germino and Van der Weij have commissioned new works for violinist and sound designer from Julia Wolfe,[1][7][9]Donnacha Dennehy, David Dramm, Arnoud Noordegraaf,[1] Heiner Goebbels,[10] Catherine Kontz, and Nick Williams.[11]
Germino commissioned a Violectra (electric violin)[12] in 2003.[13] Among the pieces written for her on this instrument include composer Robert Zuidam's new Requiem (2013), Renske Vrolijk's 'Violectra Concerto' (2012), and David Dramm's 'Fuzzbox Logic' (2010).[1] She also performs with her group ELECTRA [14] and the band Electric Barbarian.
Germino frequently collaborates with the Dutch composer Louis Andriessen[15] and the singer Cristina Zavalloni.[16] In 2011, Andriessen composed a violin concerto for her, titled 'La Girò'.[8] In 2002, Andriessen composed 'La Passione', a double concerto for Zavalloni and Germino. In 2009, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project brought out a CD of Andriessen's work, titled 'La Passione'. The title work and 'Passeggiata in Tram in America e Ritorno' are both settings of Dino Campana's poetry. Both works were composed for Zavalloni and Germino.[17] Her performance of John Cage's Six Melodies played an inspirational role in Andriessen's opera "Writing to Vermeer."[18]
Germino plays a Joannes Baptista Ceruti violin[19] on permanent loan from the Elise Mathilde Foundation. Germino also sings and plays simultaneously[10] and she plays with the curved bow.
She was married to composer Louis Andriessen from 2012 until his death in 2021.[20]
^ abMatthews, Peter (November 14, 2008). "String Singers". Feast of Music. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
^Hughes, Roisin (November 23, 2010). "Deviation". Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2013.
