Margaret Wigham facts for kids

Margaret Viola Wigham (born February 3, 1904 – died April 17, 1972) was a talented composer, music teacher, and pianist from Minnesota. She became well-known across the United States for writing piano pieces especially for students. Her music often helped young musicians learn important skills in a fun way.

Who Was Margaret Wigham?

Margaret Wigham was born in Minnesota in 1904. She grew up to be a very important person in music education. She taught music and also composed many pieces. Her work helped countless young piano players learn and grow.

Music for Young Musicians

Margaret Wigham's piano pieces were special because they were designed to teach. She focused on helping students understand different parts of music. For example, some of her songs taught about chromaticism. This means playing notes that are not usually in a scale, like playing all the black and white keys in a row.

Learning New Skills

Her music also helped students learn about counterpoint. This is when two or more different melodies are played at the same time, and they sound good together. She also wrote pieces that helped students play in different musical keys. This teaches them how to play the same song starting on different notes.

Another important skill her music taught was using each hand independently. This means your left hand might be playing one thing while your right hand plays something completely different. This is a key skill for pianists!

Where Her Music Was Published

Margaret Wigham's music was published by several well-known music companies. These included Oliver Ditson Co., Willis Music, Harold Flammer Inc, Belwin Inc, and R. D. Row. This shows how popular and respected her educational music was.

Her pieces were even made available in Braille. This meant that students who were blind or had low vision could also learn and enjoy her music. The Library of Congress National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled helped share her work.

A Few of Her Compositions

Margaret Wigham wrote many pieces for piano and even some for orchestra and voice. Here are a few examples of her fun and educational works:

Piano Pieces

• Bachette
• Fun with a Hoop
• Hop Along My Little Froggie
• Musical Moods in All Keys
• Now It's Time to Run and Play
• Puppet Mischief
• Scampering Whole Steps

Other Works

She also wrote a "Concerto for Two Pianos" for orchestra. A concerto is a piece of music where one or more solo instruments play with an orchestra. She also wrote a song called “I Wonder Where the Robins Go?” The words for this song were written by Margaret Wigham and Wilma Wigham.

Margaret Wigham passed away on April 17, 1972. Her legacy lives on through the many students who continue to learn and enjoy her music.