Gwendolyn "Gwen" Currier

Gwendolyn Currier Jamieson was born on November 16, 1921 in Moulmein, Burma to Raymond Currier and Edith Gould. Her father was secretary to The American Mission to Lepers, Inc. and was located in Burma until Gwendolyn was two. She attended Westfield High School from 1936-1939, and then New Jersey College for Women from 1939-1941.

She applied and was accepted to Black Mountain College from 1942-1944 and attended the 1943 and 1944 summer sessions. She played the cello and studied with Heinrich Jalowetz.

She married Edward Boardman “Jimmie” Jamieson (April 29, 1920-December 31, 1962), a Black Mountain College student from 1938-42 whom she met on a visit to the college when he was on alternative service as conscientious objector. Jimmie Jamieson taught at New Canaan Country School and the Gordon School in Providence. After his sudden death of a heart attack in 1962, Gwendolyn Jamieson completed her degree in English literature at Rhode Island College. She played cello with the Rhode Island Philharmonic and taught at the Rectory School, where she worked with dyslexic children.

Biography written by Mary Emma Harris for the Black Mountain College Project.

Relationships

Husband: Fellow BMC student, Edward Jamieson

Asheville Art Museum Collection

2017.40.024 September 1943 bulletin,

"During his visit to Black Mountain College Mr Benjamin Swalin accepted Gwendolyn Currier, a second year music student, as ‘cello player in his North Carolina Symphony Orchestra for the coming season."

Black Mountain College Project

Mary Emma Harris interviewed Gwendolyn in 1997 and the transcript is available from Appalachian State University under The Mary Emma Harris and Black Mountain College Project, Inc. Oral History collection.

Topics: Hearing about BMC – studies at New Jersey College for Women – Ashram in Harlem – hearing about BMC from father – music studies at BMC – introductionto cello at BMC – studies with Edward Lowinsky, Heinrich Jalowetz and Frederic Cohen at BMC – music students: Sam Brown – work program – mountain hikes at BMC – 1944 Summer Music Institute faculty – college integration debates – 1944 summer debacle: Frances de Graaff, Jeanne Wacker, Barbara Anderson, Eric Bentley – family background – post-BMC music study and marriage to James Boardman “Jimmie” Jamieson – Jamieson illness and literary interests – death of heart attack – G Jamieson professional activities – trips into Asheville and area – degree from Rhode Island College after death of husband – degree in English literature – discussion of archive for papers of Jamiesons – studies with Trudi Straus – Senior Division exam – 1945 summer music program at Kenyon College – living in cooperative communities

Courses Taken

Fall semester, 1942-43: German (Intermediate) (Straus), Ensemble (Jalowetz), Intro Chemistry (Hansgirg), Psychology of the Human World (Straus), Fundamentals of Eukinetics (Kahl).

Winter semester, 1942-43: Harmony Tutorial (Cohen), Ensemble (Jalowetz), Fundamentals of Eukinetics (Kahl), The Operas of Mozart (Jalowetz), German Tutorial (Straus), Problems of Musical Forms (Jalowetz), Chemistry (Hansgirg), Cello Lessons (Lowinsky).

Spring semester, 1942-43: Introductory Chemistry (Hansgirg), Operas of Mozart (Jalowetz), Ensemble (Jalowetz), Tutorial in German (Straus), Cello (Lowinsky), Community Work (Wood).

Summer semester, 1943: Ensemble (Cohen), Composition (Cohen), German Literature (Straus), Chorus (Jalowetz), Psychology and Psychopathy of Language (Straus).

Fall semester, 1943-44: Ensemble (Cohen, Jalowetz), Harmony (Hindemith) (Cohen), Classical Symphony (Jalowetz), Music History (Lowinsky), Acoustics (Hansgirg), Chorus (Jalowetz), German reading (Straus).

Winter semester, 1944: Chamber Music (Cohen, Lowinsky, Jalowetz), Counterpoint (Jalowetz), Bach Seminar (Lowinsky), A Capella (Lowinsky), History of Music (Lowinsky), Cello (Lowinsky).

Spring semester, 1943-44: Chamber Music (Jalowetz, Cohen, Lowinsky), History of Music (Lowinsky), Counterpoint (Jalowetz), Classical Symphony (Jalowetz), Chorus (Jalowetz), Cello (Lowinsky).

Summer semester, 1943-44: String Quartet, Democratic Principles in Ensemble Playing (Kolisch), Literature for the Piano and Cello Chamber Orchestra (Graudan, Jalowetz?), Cello Tutorial (Graudan), German Conversation (de Graaff).