Zulema Garcia Olsen (1873 — April 1907) was an American musician and composer, and represented "Spanish Texan" women at the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893.

Early life

Zulema Garcia was born in

San Antonio, Texas ("Cradle of Freedom") , image_map = , mapsize = 220px , map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = United States , subdivision_type1= State , subdivision_name1 = Texas , subdivision_t ...

, the daughter of Jose Maria Garcia de Villarreal and Florencia Leal de Garcia. Her father was a landowner and rancher on the Mexican border. Her mother's Leal ancestors came from the

Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...

."The Garcias Set Pace Among City Pioneers"
''San Antonio Express'' (June 17, 1934). She was declared a musical prodigy by the local newspaper, and by her first instructor, R. G. Guerrero, in 1884. Her first composition came at age 11, when she wrote "Un Suspiro", a waltz. At age 13, she wrote a military march. She studied music in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

with Antoine François Marmontel."Miss Garcia"
''The World's Columbian Exposition Illustrated'' (June 1891): 19."Funeral of Mrs. Olsen"
''San Antonio Gazette" (April 15, 1907): 1. via Newspapers.com While a student in Paris, she performed at the Mexican embassy.

Career

Garcia was known as a pianist, a violinist and a composer.Elizabeth Brooks
''Prominent Women of Texas''
(Werner Company 1896): 94-95. Her compositions included "Our Wedding March" (performed at her own wedding); "The Columbian March (Columbus Landing in America)," which was performed by John Philip Sousa's band at the

World's Columbian Exposition The World's Columbian Exposition (also known as the Chicago World's Fair) was a world's fair held in Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordi ...

in Chicago; "On the Death of Prince Napoleon", "The Spring Palace Waltz", and "The Mockingbird". She represented "Spanish Texans" on the State Board of Lady Managers for the Texas World's Fair Exhibit Association, the organization tasked with creating a state display at the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893. She was the youngest Lady Manager appointed from any state. She performed at a dinner with the Mexican National Band in Chicago in 1892, with many dignitaries of the Exposition present. English writer and Texas newspaperman Henry Ryder-Taylor dedicated a song, "The Snake Ring Song", to Zulema Garcia in 1895.

Personal life

Zulema Garcia married J. J. Olsen in 1896. In their eleven years of marriage, they had seven children. Zulema Garcia Olsen was 33 years old at the time of her death from

typhoid fever Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by '' Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several ...

in April 1907. Some of her photographs and papers are archived with the Garcia-Smith Family Collection at Texas A&M University in Kingsville, Texas.Garcia-Smith Family Collection
Texas A&M University, Kingsville TX.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia Olsen, Zulema Musicians from San Antonio 19th-century American composers 1873 births 1907 deaths Deaths from typhoid fever 19th-century American women composers