Viola Cole-Audet (1883 – July 31, 1936) was an American pianist, composer, and music educator, based in Chicago.
Early life
Viola Cole was born in Chicago, the daughter of Francis F. Cole and Anna E. Schneider Cole.
Her father was born in
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
. She trained as a pianist with
Harold Bauer
Harold Victor Bauer (28 April 1873 – 12 March 1951) was a noted pianist of Jewish heritage who began his musical career as a violinist.
Biography
Harold Bauer was born in Kingston upon Thames; his father was a German violinist and his mot ...
.
Career
Viola Cole ran her own music school. Later, she was on the faculty of the Chicago Musical College, and especially noted for her skill at teaching piano. Commented one 1922 reviewer, "Mme. Cole-Audet is indeed a student of music and of human nature and she knows not only how music should sound, but also the means by which her pupils can make it do so."
Cole-Audet also gave recitals, composed works for piano and orchestra, and lectures on modern music. Although she was based in Chicago, she performed in New York City in 1917 and 1918, at
Aeolian Hall.
Personal life
In 1918, Viola Cole married F. Emile Audet, a Canadian-born lawyer who was a professor of French at
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private university, private, Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission, Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th-centu ...
. Cole-Audet died at a beach in Chicago in summer 1936,
in her fifties. Several weeks later, at her brother's request, her body was exhumed to determine whether she was the victim of a homicide. Testing found no evidence of poison in her remains.
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Cole-Audet, Viola
1883 births
1936 deaths
Musicians from Chicago
American composers
American pianists