Esther Williamson Ballou (17 July 1915 – 12 March 1973) was an American music educator, organist and composer. She was born in Elmira,

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, began organ lessons at age 13, and began composing in her twenties. She studied at

Bennington College Bennington College is a private liberal arts college in Bennington, Vermont. Founded in 1932 as a women's college, it became co-educational in 1969. It claims to be the first college to include visual and performing arts as an equal partner in ...

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and The

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of Music in 1943. After completing her education, she married Harold Ballou in August 1950. Her performing career was shortened by arthritis, and she taught at the Juilliard School from 1943–50, at

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from 1951–54 and at

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from 1955–72. In 1963, her ''Capriccio for Violin and Piano'' was the first work by an American woman composer to premiere at the

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. She died in

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Works

Ballou composed orchestra, chamber, organ, piano and vocal music. Selected works include: *''Nocturne'', 1937 *''Adagio for Bassoon and String Orchestra'', 1962 *''Allegro for String Quartet'' *''The Art of the Fugue'', 1963 *''A Babe is Born'', 1959 *''Bag of Tricks'', 1956 *''The Beatitudes'', 1963 *''Beguine'', 1960 *''Beguine for Two Pianos'', 1958 *''Berceuse for Piano Forte'', 1956 *''Blues'', 1944 *''Brass Sextette with Piano Forte'', 1962 *''Bride'', 1963 *''Capriccio for Violin and Piano'', 1963 *''Christmas Mass'' (Palestrina) *''Chromatic Invention'' *''Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra'', 1964 *''Concerto for Piano and Orchestra'', 1964 *''Concerto for Piano and Orchestra'', 1965 *''Concerto for Piano and Orchestra'', 1964 *''Concerto for Viola and Orchestra'', 1969 She published a text: *''Creative Explorations of Musical Elements'' (1971)

References

External links

Concerto for Solo Guitar and Chamber Orchestra (1963) from YouTube
1915 births 1973 deaths 20th-century classical composers American women classical composers American classical composers American music educators American women music educators People from Elmira, New York Bennington College alumni Mills College alumni Juilliard School alumni Juilliard School faculty Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art faculty American University faculty American classical organists American women organists 20th-century American musicians 20th-century American composers 20th-century organists Classical musicians from New York (state) 20th-century American women composers American women academics {{US-composer-20thC-stub