Kathleen Long facts for kids

Kathleen Long was a talented English pianist and teacher. She was born on July 7, 1896, and passed away on March 20, 1968. She was known for her amazing piano playing and for teaching many students.

Early Life and Musical Training

Kathleen Long was born in Brentford, a part of London, England. She was a very special musician, often called a child prodigy. This means she had incredible musical talent from a very young age. She gave her first public performance when she was only eight years old! This happened at a famous place called Aeolian Hall in London.

From 1910 to 1916, Kathleen studied music at the Royal College of Music in London. Her teacher there was Herbert Sharpe, who helped her develop her piano skills even further.

A Career in Music

Kathleen Long became a teacher herself at the Royal College of Music from 1920 to 1964. She taught many students, including a famous composer and conductor named Imogen Holst.

Performing During Wartime

During World War II, Kathleen Long performed regularly at special concerts organized by CEMA (Council for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts). She often played with the violinist Eda Kersey. These concerts helped bring music and comfort to people during a difficult time.

Musical Partnerships and Tours

Kathleen Long played with many other famous musicians throughout her career. Some of these included the cellist Pablo Casals and the violinists Albert Sammons and Guilhermina Suggia. Her longest and most important musical partnership was with the violinist Antonio Brosa. They played together for many years, from 1948 to 1966.

Kathleen Long also traveled a lot to share her music. She performed in many countries across Europe, North America, and South Africa.

Playing and Promoting Music

Kathleen Long was known for playing the music of famous composers like Mozart, Haydn, and Bach. She was especially known for her love of French music. In 1950, the French government honored her for her work in promoting French music, especially the pieces by Gabriel Fauré.

In 1957, Kathleen Long received another important honor. She was made a CBE, which stands for Commander of the Order of the British Empire. This award recognized her great "services to music" in the United Kingdom.

She also supported new music by playing works by modern composers like Madeleine Dring. Sometimes, she would perform these pieces even before they were officially published!

Recordings and Compositions

Kathleen Long made several recordings of her piano playing in the 1940s and 1950s. A Dutch composer named Gerard Schurmann even wrote a piece called "Bagatelles" especially for her in 1945. Kathleen Long performed this piece for the very first time at the famous Concertgebouw concert hall.

Family Connections

Kathleen Long's brother, John Herbert Long, was also a musician. She was also the godmother to a well-known actor named John Le Mesurier, who was famous for his role in the TV show Dad's Army.