Roberta Bitgood facts for kids
Roberta Bitgood (born January 15, 1908 – died April 15, 2007) was an amazing American musician. She played the organ, led choirs, and wrote music. Roberta was a leader in church music during the 1900s. She was also the first woman to become the national president of the American Guild of Organists.
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Early Life and Music Training
Roberta Bitgood was born in New London, Connecticut, in 1908. Her parents were Grace and Robert Bitgood. She loved music from a young age. Roberta started playing the violin when she was just five years old.
From 1920 to 1924, she went to the Williams Memorial Institute. There, she was the main violinist and helped lead her school orchestra. When she was fifteen, Roberta began taking organ lessons in the summer. Soon, she was playing the organ in churches nearby.
Roberta then went to Connecticut College for Women. She studied music, focusing on playing the violin and organ. She graduated with high honors in 1928.
Advanced Music Studies
After college, Roberta continued her studies in New York City. She attended the Guilmant Organ School. She won a $500 scholarship to help pay for her studies. At Guilmant, she worked with the school's founder, William C. Carl.
While there, she passed important exams for the American Guild of Organists (AGO). Roberta scored the highest in the country on one of her exams. She graduated from Guilmant in 1930 with top honors.
She earned a master's degree in music education in 1932. This was from Teacher's College at Columbia University. Later, she earned two more degrees in sacred music. These were from Union Theological Seminary. She received a master's in 1935 and a doctorate in 1945. Roberta was the first woman in America to earn a doctorate in sacred music. She was only the twelfth person overall to do so.
Her Music Career
After finishing her education, Roberta married Jacob Gijsbert Wiersma. They later had a daughter named Grace.
Roberta's career began in Bloomfield, New Jersey. She lived there from 1932 to 1947. She played the organ for many churches and synagogues. She also worked at Bloomfield College and Seminary. Roberta was the Director of Music for the State Federation of Women's Clubs chorus. She also started Glee Clubs at the local YMCA and YWCA.
From 1947 to 1952, she worked in Buffalo, New York. She was the organist and music director for Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. After that, Roberta and her family moved to Riverside, California. There, she directed music for Calvary Presbyterian Church.
In 1964, she moved to Michigan. She played the viola with the Battle Creek Symphony Orchestra. She also worked as an organist for the First Congregational Church in Battle Creek, Michigan. While in Michigan, she was part of the National Council of the AGO. She also served on the National Board of Directors for the Choristers Guild.
Leading the AGO
In 1975, Roberta made history. She was elected President of the American Guild of Organists. She was the very first woman to hold this important position. That year, more women than ever before were elected to top roles in the AGO. Also, it was the first time that the top leaders were not all from New York.
Retirement Years
Roberta officially retired in 1976. She moved back to Connecticut. Even in retirement, she kept playing the organ. She worked in local churches and synagogues.
By 1981, she lived in Quaker Hill, Connecticut. She played for the United Methodist Church of New London. In 1984, she took a new job. She became the organist, choir, and music director for Waterford United Presbyterian. This church was first located at Connecticut College. In 1989, it moved to its own building in Waterford, Connecticut. Roberta continued to work in the area until she passed away in 2007.
Awards and Special Recognition
Roberta Bitgood received several honors for her contributions to music.
- In 1930, she received the William C. Carl Medal.
- In 1974, she received the Connecticut College Medal. She was the first music graduate to earn this award.
- In 1993, the American Guild of Organists created a scholarship in her name. It is called the Roberta Bitgood Organ Scholarship.
Her Compositions
Roberta Bitgood was a talented composer. She wrote many pieces, especially for church music. Her works include anthems, cantatas, and hymns. She studied composition throughout her education.
Her first works were published in 1935. Many of her pieces were published by H.W. Grey & Co. She also worked as an editor for this company. From 1966 to 1975, Roberta was nominated every year for an American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) award.
Here are some examples of the types of music she wrote:
- For two voices (SS or SA):
* Once There Was a Garden Fair (1950) * Holy Spirit, Hear Us (1959)
- For four voices (SATB):
* The Greatest Of These Is Love (1936) * The Christmas Candle (1937) * God Himself Is With Us (1941)
- Cantatas (longer pieces for choir):
* Job (1948) * Joseph (1966)
- For one voice or solo:
* That Eastertide With Joy Was Bright (1959) * Be Still and Know That I Am God (Solo) (1941)
- Organ Music:
* Organ Album (1991) * Offertories From Afar (1964)
Her music has also been recorded on CDs, including:
- Women Composer For Organ-Music Spanning Five Centuries (2006)
- Music She Wrote (2001)
