Another example of being fortunate enough to be born into a musical family lies with Josephine Lang (1815-1880). Her father, Theodor, was a violinist and her mother, Regina Hitzelberger, was an opera singer. They supported their daughter in her musical ambitions,...
Born and raised in Texas, Julia Smith (1905-1989) achieved acclaim as a composer, pianist, and musicologist – but is is perhaps best remembered for composing the music for the University of North Texas alma mater. After graduating from UNT, Smith completed her...
Violet Archer (1913-2000), Canadian composer, pianist, percussionist, organist, and educator, received recognition and acclaim throughout Canada and the United States. She was a student of Béla Bartók and Paul Hindemith, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada in...
Pauline Viardot, like many other women featured this month, was fortunate to be born into a musical family. Born in Paris in 1821, Viardot (nee Garcia) has Spanish ancestry. Her parents were opera singers and fostered her talents as a singer, though she was also a...
Born in Virginia in 1882 and raised in Washington, D.C., Mary Howe (nee Carlisle) was an accomplished pianist and composer of large and small forms. She studied at the Peabody Conservatory as well as abroad with Nadia Boulanger. Known primarily for her piano works,...
Baroque composer Barbara Strozzi (1619-1977) was born in Venice, the illegitimate child of a servant. She was adopted into the Strozzi family and received enthusiastic support from her adoptive family in her musical pursuits. Strozzi not only composed prolifically...
