Jeanne Behrend facts for kids
Jeanne Behrend (born May 11, 1911 – died March 20, 1988) was an American musician. She was a talented pianist, a music teacher, a music historian, and a composer.
About Jeanne Behrend
Jeanne Behrend was born in Philadelphia. She studied at the Curtis Institute and graduated in 1934. There, she learned piano from Josef Hofmann. She also studied how to compose music with Rosario Scalero. Jeanne first performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1922. She played at Carnegie Hall in 1937. For this performance, she played one of her own musical pieces.
After her studies, Jeanne worked as a pianist and composer. She also taught music at several schools. These included Juilliard, the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music, and Temple University. Jeanne noticed that American composers did not have many chances to share their music. Because of this, she became a strong supporter of American music. She focused her career on performing these works.
Jeanne Behrend also helped publish important musical works. She edited piano music by Louis Moreau Gottschalk. She also edited his autobiography, Notes of a Pianist. She put together a collection of songs by Stephen Foster. She also edited a collection of American fuguing tunes. Jeanne was married twice during her life.
Jeanne received the Joseph Bearns prize in 1936 for her compositions. This award came from Columbia University. A famous composer, Heitor Villa-Lobos, suggested she tour. So, she traveled and performed in South America from 1945 to 1946. In 1959 and 1960, she started and led the Philadelphia Festival of Western Hemisphere Music. She was given the Order of the Southern Cross from Brazil. Jeanne Behrend passed away in Philadelphia. Her writings and musical papers are kept at the Free Library in the city.
Her Music and Writings
Jeanne Behrend wrote many musical pieces. Here are some of her selected works:
- A Child's Day, a set of piano pieces
- From Dawn to Dusk for orchestra, written in 1939
- Lamentation for viola and piano, written in 1944
- Quiet Piece for piano, written in 1932
- Festival Fanfare: Prelude to the National Anthem, written in 1959
She also edited important books. She edited Louis Moreau Gottschalk's Notes of a Pianist in 1964. She also edited other selections of his music.
