Esther Pauline Cox Todd (March 10, 1895–October 3, 1971) was an American composer, music educator, and organist.
Todd was born in
Colfax, Washington, to Horace Mann and Joie Lester Hamer Cox. She married Wesley Sanford Todd on June 29, 1920, and they had one son, Horace.
Todd studied music at
Willamette University
Willamette University is a private liberal arts college with locations in Salem and Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1842, it is the oldest college in the Western United States. Originally named the Oregon Institute, the school was an unaffiliated ...
. She belonged to the Society of Oregon Composers, the Oregon Music Teachers Association,
and
Phi Beta
Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative and Performing Arts () is an American national professional college fraternity for the creative and performing arts. It was founded in 1912 at Northwestern University in Evan ...
.
In 1921, Todd worked as the head of the Lewiston State Normal School music department.
She later served as dean of the Oregon chapter of the
American Guild of Organists
The American Guild of Organists (AGO) is an international organization of academic, church, and concert organists in the US, headquartered in New York City with its administrative offices in the Interchurch Center. Founded as a professional educati ...
and co-directed the Todd School of Music. After her fellow composer
Jeanette Tillett Jeanette Laura Tillett (August 8, 1888 – July 22, 1965) was an American composer and music educator based in Texas.
Tillett was born in Abilene to Henry Augustus and Mary Benjamin Smith Tillett. Her father was an attorney who represented his dis ...
died in 1965, Todd promoted and sold Tillett's compositions.
Todd's works were published in professional journals and by Krinke Music Publications Inc.
and Willis Music Co.
Her publications included:
Articles
*''Basic Pieces in the Student's Repertoire'' (published in
The Etude
''The Etude'' was an American print magazine dedicated to music founded by Theodore Presser (1848–1925) at Lynchburg, Virginia, and first published in October 1883. Presser, who had also founded the Music Teachers National Association, moved h ...
, Feb 1947)
*''Why Not Get Up a Summer Music Pla''y (published in The Etude, Mar 1945)
Chamber
*''Summer on Larch Mountain'' (violin and piano)
Musical Theatre
*Hudson's Bay Man (with Jean B. Foster)
Orchestra
*Western Sketches
Piano
*''Five Swans''
*''Frolicsome Friskies'' (with Harry Krinke)
*''Little Red Ski Train''
*''Salty Sails''
*''Spanish Whim
''
Vocal
*Songs
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Todd, Esther Cox
American women composers
American composers
American music educators
1895 births
1971 deaths
People from Colfax, Washington