Edith Borroff

Borroff retired from teaching in 1992. Her papers are housed at the Newberry Library. She died in Durham, North Carolina on March 10, 2019.

In an 2011 interview with the American Composers Alliance, Borroff shared that she had always considered herself a composer. She started composing at a very young. According to her, she was not allowed to pursue a degree in composition and settled for a degree in historical musicology but continued to compose and had over 60 commissions as a composer.

After completing her studies, Borroff worked as a composer and music professor. She taught at Hillsdale College (where she also was associate dean) 1958-1962, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1962-1966, Eastern Michigan University 1966-1972, and State University of New York at Binghamton, 1973 to 1992. Her Concerto for Marimba and Small Orchestra was premiered with that university’s orchestra in 1981, with Alex Jacobowitz as marimba soloist and Paul Jordan as conductor.

She joined the faculty at Milwaukee-Downer College from 1950–54 while continuing her studies at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, graduating with a Ph.D. in historical musicology by 1958. Her dissertation was titled The instrumental works of Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville.

Borroff was born in New York City, the daughter of professional musicians Marie Bergerson and (Albert) Ramon Borroff, and sister of poet Marie Borroff. The family moved to Chicago in 1941. Borroff studied at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the American Conservatory of Music, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in 1946, a Master of Music in composition in 1948. Her education included studying organ with Claire Coci at Oberlin College and voice with Frances Grund.

Edith Borroff (August 2, 1925 – March 10, 2019) was an American musicologist and composer. Her compositions include over 60 commissioned works, including pieces for the stage; for her primary instrument—the organ; choral, vocal, and orchestral music; and several critical editions of works by previous composers such as Jubilate by J.-J. Cassanéa de Mondonville (Pittsburgh, 1961). She also wrote at least 7 books, including the textbook Music in Europe and the United States: a History (Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1971/R), as well as various peer-reviewed articles and publications.