Vally Weigl facts for kids

Vally Weigl (1894–1982)

Vally Weigl (born September 11, 1894 – died December 25, 1982) was a talented musician from Austria. She became a composer and a music therapist in America. She wrote many beautiful pieces of music and helped people through music.

Her Life Story

Early Life and Education

Vally Weigl, whose birth name was Valerie Pick, was born in Vienna, Austria. Her parents were Josef Pick, a lawyer, and Charlotte Rubinstein. Her younger sister, Käthe Leichter, became a well-known economist and activist.

From a young age, Vally loved music. She took piano lessons when she was a child. Later, she studied music at Vienna University. She learned piano from Richard Robert and composition from Karl Weigl. She also studied music history and theory with Guido Adler.

Moving to America

In 1921, Vally married her composition teacher, Karl Weigl. When a difficult political group called the National Socialists took power in Austria in 1938, Vally and Karl had to leave their home. They moved to the United States with their son. The Quaker Society of Friends helped them with their journey.

Music, Teaching, and Therapy

In New York, Vally Weigl worked as a music teacher and composer. She received a special grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. This grant helped her create and record some of her musical works. These included Natures Moods, New England Suite, and several song cycles.

Vally also continued her education. She earned a master's degree from Columbia University. After that, she started working as a music therapist. Music therapy uses music to help people with their health and well-being. She became the chief medical therapist at New York Medical College. She also taught at the Roosevelt Cerebral Palsy School. Vally led research projects at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Hebrew Home for the Aged. In the 1950s, she wrote many articles about music therapy. Vally Weigl passed away in New York City in 1982.

Her Music

Vally Weigl composed many different kinds of musical pieces. She wrote music for orchestras and for solo instruments. Many of her works were recorded and shared with the world. Here are some of her selected pieces:

• Toccatina pour piano
• Nature Moods for Tenor, Clarinet and Violin
• New England Suite for Clarinet, Violoncello and Piano
• Songs of Remembrance (Poèmes de Emily Dickinson)
• Dear Earth for baritone, horn, violin, cello, and piano, words by Frederika Blankner
• Brief Encounters for clarinet, horn, bassoon, and oboe
• Songs of Love and Leaving for mezzo-soprano, baritone, clarinet and piano, words by Carl Sandburg
• Echoes from Poems
• Lyrical Suite for voice, piano, flute and cello
• Songs from "Do not Awake Me"
• Songs from "No Boundary" for voice, piano, flute and cello
• Songs Newly Seen in the Dusk
• Songs of Remembrance
• Requiem for Allison
• In Springtime pour voix et piano
• Songs from "No Boundary" pour voix, piano, flûte et violoncelle
• Oiseau de la vie pour flûte
• Lyrical Suite pour voix, piano, flûte et violoncelle
• Old Time Burlesque pour alto et piano