Dates

• Existence: 1890 - 1973

Biography

Louise Crawford was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on July 18, 1890 to Dr. George E. and Mrs. Julia C. (Benest) Crawford. At the age of eleven she began taking piano lessons with Mrs. J. O. Baxter. Crawford continued these lessons for nine years. Her father, two brothers, two uncles, a cousin and a nephew were all doctors, but Crawford's father "feared"" for her to take zoology, so she decided to major in music. She enrolled in Wellesley College and graduated with a degree in music theory in 1914. It was here that she composed her first work for a choir of fifty female voices for a class assignment. Crawford studied at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts from 1914 to 1915. In 1916 she received her Master of Arts degree from Wellesley.

From 1916 until 1941 Crawford served as Professor of Theory of Music and as Assistant Professor of Piano at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. She spent her summers at the MacDonell Colony in Petersborough, New Hampshire, doing most of her composing there. In 1927, one of the prominent colonists wrote: ""Miss Louise Crawford has established a record quite enviable in achievement...Those privileged to hear the works she completed felt them to be outstanding compositions of the colony.""

In addition to composing, Crawford wrote articles for The Musical Observer: ""Bell effects in piano compositions"" (1923), ""Pianistic seascapes"" (1925), and ""Autumnal piano music"", (1926).

In 1941 Crawford retired from teaching at Coe College. She remained active writing and lecturing and participated in various organizations, including the National League of American Pen Women, The National Association for American Composers and Conductors, The Beethoven Club of Cedar Rapids, The Cedar Rapids College Club, Mu Phi Epsilon, and Phi Kappa Phi.

Her compositions include songs, anthems, works for violin and piano, duets for piano and organ, piano pieces, organ solos, and Christmas carols. Some of Crawford's best known works include Fantasy, for violin and piano; Ballet Fantasy; and two Iowa folk-songs, The Pudding and My Grandma.

Crawford died on December 16, 1973.

Additional biographical information can be found in Who's Who in Iowa, Who's Who in Music, Who's Who in American Education, Musical Iowana, Career Women of America and Who's Important in Music. A thesis on Crawford's life and works is held by the University of Iowa Music Library.

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