Marian Arkwright facts for kids

Marian Ursula Arkwright (born in 1863, died in March 1922) was an amazing English composer. She wrote many different kinds of music.

Early Life and Education

Marian Arkwright was born in Norwich, Norfolk, England. She loved music from a young age. She studied very hard at Durham University. There, she earned a special degree called a doctorate in music. This was a big deal because she was one of the first English women to achieve this!

A Busy Musician

After finishing her studies, Marian became very active in the music world. She played instruments in orchestras. She also wrote her own music as a composer. Marian even led orchestras as a conductor. One group she conducted was the Newbury Amateur Orchestral Society. She also helped organize other musicians. She was the secretary for the English Ladies' Orchestral Union.

Awards and Recognition

Marian Arkwright's talent was recognized. She won a prize from a magazine called The Gentlewoman. This award was for her original orchestral piece. It was titled The Winds of the World. This shows how talented she was at creating music for a whole orchestra.

Musical Works

Marian Arkwright was known for her interesting choices of instruments. She often put together instruments that people didn't usually hear together. This made her music sound unique and special.

Chamber Music

She wrote many pieces for small groups of instruments. These are called chamber music.

• Quintet for piano, oboe, clarinet, horn, and bassoon. A quintet means five instruments playing together.
• Trio for piano, oboe, and horn. A trio means three instruments playing together.
• Trio for pianoforte (another name for piano), oboe, and viola.
• Scherzo and Variations for piano, clarinet, and bassoon. A scherzo is a lively piece, and variations means the music changes a main tune in different ways.
• Rêveries for piano, oboe, and viola. Rêveries means "daydreams" in French.

Other Compositions

Marian also published music for specific instruments. She created three books of duets for violin and piano. A duet is music for two players. She also wrote two Concert Pieces for viola and piano.

Interest in Folk Music

Marian Arkwright was interested in folk music. This is traditional music from different cultures. Her Japanese Symphony included tunes she had heard and written down herself. This shows her curiosity about music from around the world.

Later Life

Marian Arkwright passed away unexpectedly in March 1922. She left behind a legacy of unique and interesting musical compositions.