Grace Vamos facts for kids

Grace Becker Vamos (born April 17, 1898 – died March 25, 1992) was an American musician. She was a talented cellist, a creative composer, and a dedicated teacher.

Grace grew up in Berkeley, California. Her family loved music! Her mother played the piano, and her father played the violin. They often had music parties at home, where friends would play music together. Grace found an unused cello in her house and decided to learn how to play it.

Learning and Teaching Music

Grace Vamos traveled to France to study music at the Paris Conservatory. There, she learned how to teach music from a famous cellist named Andre Hekking. She even won a special scholarship to continue her studies at the Fontainebleau School of Music in France.

After her time in France, Grace returned to California. She became a teacher at Mills College, where she taught both cello and how to compose music. She also continued to learn herself, studying composition with Domenico Brescia.

In 1937, Grace went to Hungary to learn more about composing from a well-known composer, Zoltan Kodaly. However, she had to leave Hungary in 1939 when World War II started.

Musical Achievements

After leaving Hungary, Grace joined a string quartet in Mexico City. A string quartet is a group of four musicians who play string instruments like the cello and violin. While in Mexico City, one of her dance compositions, called Dying Eagle, was performed in the Opera House. This was a very big deal! Her choral piece, Praise Ye the Lord, was also performed by a choir in Mexico City.

Later, Grace returned to San Francisco. The Oakland Symphony performed her piano concerto. A piano concerto is a piece of music for a piano and an orchestra. This was a special moment because it was the first time a piano concerto by a female composer was performed in California!

In 1948, Grace married Ernest Vamos. He was from Hungary and was a dentist, but he also loved playing the cello as a hobby. Grace then formed a music group called the Trio Moderne. She played the cello, Christine Howells Pfund played the flute, and Marie Hughes Marguarrie played the harp. They performed often, playing many songs that Grace herself had arranged.

Awards and Legacy

Grace Vamos received several important awards for her music. She won the Sigma Alpha Iota Award for her piece, Suite for Cello and Piano. Even the famous cellist Pablo Casals wrote to her in 1960, saying he enjoyed her music and that it showed "real talent." She also received the Harp Association Award for her composition, Legends of the Redwood.

Grace wanted to help other young musicians. She created many scholarships and awards:

• In 1975, she started the Grace Becker Vamos Scholarship for young cellists who showed great promise.
• In 1981, she created the Grace Vamos Scholarship Trust and the Ernest Vamos Memorial Scholarship at Holy Names College (now Holy Names University).
• In 1990, she founded the Grace Vamos National Cello Competition.

She also supported the Contra Costa String Association's yearly competition. She made sure that at least one of her own musical pieces had to be performed each year at this competition. Later, the String Association even added a special "Grace Vamos Division" to the competition in her honor.

After her husband passed away, Grace moved to a special living facility near Danville, California. She continued to give private cello lessons and organize student concerts right there at her home until she passed away in 1992.

Grace Vamos's cello music is kept safe at Holy Names University. Her music was published by Lyric Music Company. Here are some of her compositions:

Cello Music

• Five Pieces: A Collection of First Position Pieces (these are like practice songs)
• Italian Suite (for two cellos)
• Psalm (for four cellos)
• Retrospection (for cello and piano)
• Suite for Cello and Piano

Harp Music

• Fontainebleau Suite
• Gypsy
• Legend of the Redwoods

Orchestra Music

• Dying Eagle (a dance piece)
• Fantasy Concerto (for piano and orchestra)

Piano Music

• A Memory

Vocal Music

• Praise Ye the Lord (for a choir)