Esther Elizabeth Velkiers (1640 – after 1685) was a Swiss singer, musician and composer.

Biography

Esther Velkiers was born in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, then in the independent Republic of Geneva. She was nearly blind from an accident with an oven when she was a baby, and was taught letters by her father using wooden blocks. She learned Latin, German, Italian and French, and then studied philosophy, mathematics, theology and science. She also studied music and became a singer and

harpsichord A harpsichord ( it, clavicembalo; french: clavecin; german: Cembalo; es, clavecín; pt, cravo; nl, klavecimbel; pl, klawesyn) is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. This activates a row of levers that turn a trigger mechanism ...

ist. She was noted as a composer, but none of her compositions survive. Velkiers was known as a musician, but also for her philosophy, language, science and theology.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Velkiers, Esther Elizabeth 1640 births Musicians from the Republic of Geneva Women classical composers 17th-century classical composers Year of death unknown Scholars from the Republic of Geneva 17th-century women composers