Sidney Robertson Cowell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sidney Robertson Cowell
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| Born |
Sidney William Hawkins
June 2, 1903 San Francisco, California, United States
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| Died | February 23, 1995 Shady, New York
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Ethnomusicologist |
| Spouse(s) | Kenneth Greg Robertson, Henry Cowell |
Sidney Robertson Cowell was an American expert in folk music. She was born Sidney William Hawkins on June 2, 1903, and passed away on February 23, 1995. She spent her life collecting traditional songs and sounds from different cultures. Sidney was also married to the famous composer Henry Cowell.
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Early Life and Education
Sidney was born in San Francisco, California. Her parents were Charles Albert and Mabel Morrison Hawkins. She loved learning and went to Stanford University. In 1924, she earned a degree in Romance languages. This means she studied languages like French and Spanish.
Later that year, she married Kenneth Robertson. They traveled to Europe. In 1925, Sidney studied piano at a music school in Paris. When she returned to California, she taught at a special school. She also studied music with important teachers like Ernest Bloch and Henry Cowell. She learned about music from many different parts of the world.
Collecting Folk Music
After some time, Sidney moved to New York City. She worked with older Jewish immigrants, helping them with music. In 1936, she started working for the government. Her job was to collect folk music. She traveled to places like Appalachia and the Ozarks. She recorded many traditional songs and stories.
Northern California Folk Music Project
Sidney returned to California and started a big project. It was called the Northern California Folk Music Project. She directed this project from 1938 to 1940. Her team worked with the Library of Congress and the University of California, Berkeley. They wanted to record American folk music in one area.
The team made 35 hours of sound recordings. They also took 168 photos of the musicians and their instruments. This project helped save many important folk songs and stories. It was one of the first large studies of American folk music.
Life with Henry Cowell
In 1941, Sidney married Henry Cowell. She had known him since she was a teenager. The next year, they moved to a village called Shady in New York. During World War II, they traveled the world. They were like cultural ambassadors for the United States. They collected music from many different countries.
Sidney and Henry worked together on many books and projects. After Henry passed away in 1965, Sidney continued to share his music. She worked hard to make sure his musical legacy lived on. Sidney passed away at her home in Shady in 1995.
