Today (January 14) is Clara Kathleen Rogers 172nd birthday, and Corona Schröter’s 265th birthday.
Clara Kathleen Rogers (1844-1931) was an American composer, singer, and educator. She had the great advantage of being born into a musical family, received formal training, and had an exciting career as an opera singer. She stopped performing professional when she was married, but began teaching and composing. She lived and worked in Boston for much of her life, taught at the New England Conservatory, and was friends with Amy Beach and Margaret Ruthann Lang. Among her compositions are over 100 songs and several works for chamber ensembles. Her papers are held at the Harvard Library.
Corona Schröter (1751-1802), who was German by birth, was best known as a singer. However, she also composed songs, often using texts from her good friend Goethe. Like Rogers, Schröter was also born into a musical family, received early training, and was supported in her musical endeavors throughout her lifetime. She permed in court for Duchess Anna Amalia in Weimar, and also had many roles in the amateur court theatre. Many of her songs are available in the public domain from the Petrucci Music Library.
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