Esther Cox Todd facts for kids

Esther Pauline Cox Todd (born March 10, 1895 – died October 3, 1971) was an American composer, a teacher of music, and an organist. An organist is someone who plays the organ, a large musical instrument.

Esther Todd was born in Colfax, Washington, a town in Washington state. Her parents were Horace Mann and Joie Lester Hamer Cox. She married Wesley Sanford Todd on June 29, 1920. They had one son named Horace.

Her Education and Groups

Esther Todd loved music and studied it at Willamette University. This is a university in Oregon. She was also part of several important music groups.

• The Society of Oregon Composers: This group was for people who wrote music in Oregon.
• The Oregon Music Teachers Association: This group was for music teachers in Oregon.
• Phi Beta: This is a special group, like a club, for students who are very good at music and other arts.

Her Career in Music

Esther Todd had a busy and important career in music.

In 1921, she became the head of the music department at the Lewiston State Normal School. This school helped train new teachers. Later, she became the dean of the Oregon chapter of the American Guild of Organists. This is a large group for people who play the organ. She also helped run the Todd School of Music.

Esther Todd was also a kind friend to other musicians. After another composer named Jeanette Tillett passed away in 1965, Esther Todd helped sell and share Tillett's musical pieces.

Her Published Music

Esther Todd's music was printed and shared by different companies, like Krinke Music Publications Inc. and Willis Music Co.. Her works also appeared in special magazines called professional journals. These magazines are written for people who work in a specific field, like music.

Here are some of the musical pieces she created:

Music for Instruments

• Chamber Music: This type of music is written for a small group of instruments, not a whole orchestra.
  • Summer on Larch Mountain (for violin and piano)

• Orchestra Music: This music is written for a large group of musicians playing many different instruments together.
  • Western Sketches

• Piano Music: These pieces are written just for the piano.
  • Five Swans
  • Frolicsome Friskies (written with Harry Krinke)
  • Little Red Ski Train
  • Salty Sails
  • Spanish Whim

Music for Voices and Stage

• Musical Theatre: This is like a play that includes singing and dancing.
  • Hudson's Bay Man (written with Jean B. Foster)

• Vocal Music: These are songs written for singers.
  • Songs