E. Florence Whitlock facts for kids

Ellen Florence Williams Whitlock (born November 10, 1889 – died October 13, 1978) was a talented British musician. She was a composer, which means she wrote music. She was also a conductor, leading orchestras, and an educator, teaching music to others.

Her Life Story

Ellen Whitlock was born in Redruth, a town in Cornwall, England. She loved music from a young age. She learned to play the violin from H. V. Pearce and Hans Wessely. She also studied piano with Frederick Moore. For composition, which is writing music, she learned from Alan Bush. She even performed with the Camborne and Redruth Oratorio Orchestra.

Whitlock attended the Royal Academy of Music, a famous music school. She also took a special course for music teachers. From 1911 to 1912, she taught music in Bury St. Edmunds. Later, she taught in Taunton and Ashford, Kent. In Ashford, she also led the local orchestra as a conductor.

In 1925, Whitlock moved to New Zealand. She got married there in 1926. From 1928 to 1935, she taught at Iona College. She taught violin, cello, and chamber music. Chamber music is music played by a small group of instruments. She also conducted the Hastings Orchestral Society. She performed music in Hastings and Napier.

After 1937, she taught music privately until 1950. Then, she moved back to Kent in England. She continued to teach privately until 1960. Ellen Whitlock was a member of the Composers' Guild of Great Britain. This group supports composers in Britain.

Her Music

Ellen Whitlock wrote many different kinds of music. Here are some of her compositions:

Chamber Music

Chamber music is written for a small group of instruments.

• Concerto for Seven Solo Instruments, opus 15 (for violin, viola, cello, double bass, clarinet, and horn; 1965)
• Evening, opus 11 (for violin and piano; 1961)
• Fantasia for Strings, opus 17
• Gavotte (for violin; 1968)
• Quintet, opus 12 (for flute and a string quartet; 1964)
• Sad Story, opus 11 (for a group of string instruments; 1971)
• Scherzo, opus 11 (for violin and piano; 1963)
• Spring Song, opus 1 (for violin and piano; 1960)
• String Quartet No. 1, opus 7 (1969)
• String Quartet No. 2, opus 7 (1961)
• String Quartet No. 3, opus 7 (1962)
• String Quintet, opus 17 (for 2 violins, viola, and 2 cellos; 1968)
• Two Trios, opus 19 (for 2 violins and piano; 1972)
• Variation on a Theme of Corelli (for violin; 1968)

Orchestra Music

These pieces were written for a large orchestra.

• Violin Concerto No 1, opus 9 (1963)
• Violin Concerto No 2, opus 14 (1964)

Piano Music

These are pieces written for the piano.

• Fairy Garden, opus 4 (1958)
• From Harmony to Harmony
• Theme and Variations on a Folk Tune, opus 2 (1955)

Vocal Music

These compositions include singing.

• Aye Me
• Chorus with String Chamber Orchestra (can also include organ; 1970)
• Daphne and the Shepherdess
• Ode to St. Cecilia, opus 5 (words by John Dryden; 1958)
• Spring Prayer, opus 16 (for 2 sopranos and piano; words by Ralph Waldo Emerson; 1968)