Ruth Erskine Tripp (December 26, 1897 – May 1971) was an American composer, music critic, educator, and pianist. She administered the

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...

Federal Music Project The Federal Music Project (FMP) was a part of the New Deal program Federal Project Number One provided by the U.S. federal government which employed musicians, conductors and composers during the Great Depression. In addition to performing thousan ...

(WPA FMP) in the state of Rhode Island from 1940 to 1943. Tripp was born in Dighton, Massachusetts, to Everett E. and Martha Erskine Tripp. She had three sisters: Martha, Elsie, and Gertrude. In 1903 the family moved to Central Falls, Rhode Island. Tripp graduated from the

New England Conservatory of Music The New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) is a Private college, private music school in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the oldest independent music Music school, conservatory in the United States and among the most prestigious in the world. The ...

and studied music in France at the Conservatorie Fountainbleu (probably one of the

Fontainebleau Schools The Fontainebleau Schools were founded in 1921, and consist of two schools: ''The American Conservatory'', and the ''School of Fine Arts at Fontainebleau''. History When the United States entered First World War the commander of its army, Gener ...

) in 1922. Her teachers included May Atwood Anderson, Avis Bliven Charbonnel, and Ferdinand Motte-Lacroix. Tripp taught music at the

Gordon School The Gordon School is a coeducational, independent school located in East Providence, Rhode Island. Students are educated from nursery through eighth grade. It is located on a site. Mission statement The Gordon School is a racially diverse n ...

, a private school for girls in Providence, and later at the

University of Rhode Island The University of Rhode Island (URI) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Kingston, Rhode Island, United States. It is the flagship public research as well as the land-grant university of the state of Rhode Island ...

and Bryant College (today

Bryant University Bryant University is a private university in Smithfield, Rhode Island. It has two colleges, the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Business, and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education. History Butler Exc ...

). She was music critic for the

Providence Journal-Bulletin ''The Providence Journal'', colloquially known as the ''ProJo'', is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, Rhode Island, and is the largest newspaper in Rhode Island. The newspaper was first published in 1829. The newspape ...

for 27 years, and also worked as a church choir director and organist. She served as president of Rhode Island's Federation of Music Clubs, and received awards from the American Symphony Orchestra League (today the

League of American Orchestras The League of American Orchestras, formerly the American Symphony Orchestra League, is a North American service organization with 700 member orchestras of all budget sizes and types, plus individual and institutional members. Based in New York Ci ...

) and the Music Critics Association. Tripp also participated in Rhode Island's Chaminade Club. Tripp's papers are archived at the

Rhode Island Historical Society The Rhode Island Historical Society is a privately endowed membership organization, founded in 1822, dedicated to collecting, preserving, and sharing the history of Rhode Island. Its offices are located in Providence, Rhode Island. History Found ...

. She wrote a short story entitled ''The Jacknife''. Her musical compositions include: ;Chamber *''Bergerette'' (flute and strings) ;Operetta *''Rabbit's Foot'' (lyrics by Grace Sherwood) *''Wedding of Miss Mary Krissmass and Mr. Sandy Claws'' (lyrics by Grace Sherwood) ;Vocal *"Christmas Folk Song" (text by

Lizette Woodworth Reese Lizette Woodworth Reese (January 9, 1856 – December 17, 1935) was an American poet and teacher. Born in Maryland, she taught English for almost five decades in the schools of Baltimore. Though Reese was successful in prose as well as in poetry ...

) *"Earth Bread"'''' *''In the Days of Herod the King'' (three women's voices; text Matthew 11:1-11) *''Land Grant: A Free Choral Adaptation of Portions of the Morrill Act of 1862 (M) Ostrich'' (text by Charles Malam) *"Rivals" (text by James Stephens; written for the 1948 Gordon School commencement) *"Rhode Island Campaign Song" *''Same Country'' (strings, harp, and choir; text Luke II: 8–14) *''Songs of the Sea'' (with Grace Sherwood) *"Solitary Place shall be Glad" (text Isaiah 35:1-2-10)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tripp, Ruth American women composers American composers 1897 births 1971 deaths American music educators 20th-century American educators 20th-century American women educators Works Progress Administration administrators New England Conservatory alumni University of Rhode Island faculty Bryant University faculty American music critics American women music critics