Amy Beach: A Life in Music
Amy Beach could hear music in her mind before she was old enough to write it down. Born on September 5, 1867, in Henniker, New Hampshire, she grew up to become a pianist and one of the most important American composers of her time. Her music showed that women could write ambitious works for the concert stage, even when they faced limits on their opportunities.
Amy’s mother gave her piano lessons when she was young. The family later moved to the Boston area, where Amy continued her musical studies. She made her professional piano debut as a teenager in 1883. Soon she was performing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, an impressive achievement for a young musician.
In 1885, Amy married Dr. Henry Harris Aubrey Beach. After her marriage, she performed in public less often and devoted more time to composing. She worked at the piano, developing musical ideas and putting them on paper. Although she had studied piano with teachers, she learned much about composing through her own reading and practice. She studied scores, the written music that shows what each instrument or voice should play or sing.
- composers:
- People who create music.
- debut:
- A person’s first public or professional appearance.
- devoted:
- Gave time and attention to something.
- ambitious:
- Aiming to achieve something important or challenging.
- accomplishments:
- Things successfully achieved.
- melodies:
- Sequences of musical notes that form tunes.
- opportunities:
- Chances to do or achieve something.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How did Amy Beach learn much of what she knew about composing?
- 2How did Beach’s musical work change after her marriage in 1885?
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About this biography passage for Upper Elementary
“Amy Beach: A Life in Music” is a biography reading passage about American composers, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (503 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.