Antoinette Kirkwood facts for kids

Antoinette Kirkwood (born February 26, 1930, died January 28, 2014) was an English composer from London. She learned to play the piano and compose music at the Royal Academy in London. Her teacher was Dorothy Howell. Antoinette often played the piano for her mother, who was a singer of German songs called lieder.

From 1969, she was part of a group called the Composers’ Guild of Great Britain for four years. This group is now known as the British Association of Composers and Songwriters. A radio station in Ireland, RTÉ Radio, played her Symphony, Op. 8, which she wrote in 1953. People said this symphony was a "very notable achievement." It showed that Antoinette could write "memorable tunes" that would really grab the listener's attention.

Antoinette married a writer named Richard Phibbs in 1961. She stopped composing music for a long time, from 1961 to 1979. This was because she was taking care of her mother and husband who were very ill. She passed away on January 28, 2014, when she was 84 years old.

What She Composed

Antoinette Kirkwood wrote many different kinds of music. She composed for ballet, full orchestras, smaller groups of instruments, and even for solo instruments.

Ballets and Orchestral Music

She created two ballets and several pieces for symphonies and orchestras.

• Symphony No. 1 op. 8 (1953) - You can find a recording of this at the British Music Collection.
• Alessandro op. 12 - A music drama based on a book by Gerard McLarnon.
• Musa the Saint op. 16 - A ballet based on a book by Antoinette Kirkwood herself.
• Suite for Strings op. 5 - A piece for string instruments.

Music for Instruments

Antoinette also wrote music for chamber music (small groups of instruments) and solo instruments.

• Fantasia No. 1 op. 13
• Fantasia No. 2 op. 14
• Fantasia No. 3 op. 18
• Sonata op. 6 for Violoncello (Cello) and Piano
• Petite Suite op. 20 No. 2 for Guitar
• Rapsodie No. 1 op. 21 No. 4 for Viola and Guitar
• Soliloquy op. 19 No. 3 for Guitar
• Largo op. 17 No. 1 for Flute and Piano
• Rapsodie op. 19 No. 2 for Harp solo
• Sleepy Waters in the Moonlight for 2 Violins and Violoncello
• Sonatina op. 2 No. 1, for piano
• Nocturne op. 2 No. 2, for piano

Music for Voices

She also wrote music for singers, sometimes with piano or other instruments.

• Carol for SATB (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass voices) and piano.
• The Fly op. 7 No. 1 (words by William Blake)
• The Barrel Organ op. 7 No. 5 (words by Michael Ashe)
• Must she go? op. 9 No. 1 (words by James Forsyth)
• Morning in Bengal op. 9 No. 2 (words by Anthony Hayward)
• The Tourney op. 9 No. 3 (words by Anthony Hayward)
• Remorse op. 9 No. 4 (words by Michael O'Hagan)
• The Song of the Fisherman of Cacru op. 11 No. 3 (words by James Forsyth)
• The Oyster-Catcher’s Song op. 11 No. 4 (words by James Forsyth)
• Der Schiffbrüchige op. 15 (words by Heinrich Heine)
• Krönung op. 17 No. 2 (words by Heinrich Heine) for High Voice and Strings.

Recorded Music

Some of her works have been recorded and released.

• Six Intermezzi - A Potpourri of Piano Music
• Sonata for Violoncello and Piano
• Women Composers - Vol. I CD
• Women Composers - Vol. II CD