Diller, Angela (1877–1968)

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Diller, Angela (1877–1968)

American music educator. Name variations: Mary Angelina Diller. Born Mary Angelina Diller, Aug 1, 1877, in Brooklyn, NY; died May 1, 1968, in Stamford, Connecticut; dau. of William A.M. Diller and Mary Abigail (Welles) Diller.

Taught at Saint John the Baptist School for Girls, NY (1894–99); was 1st recipient of Mosenthal fellowship for musical composition at Barnard College (1899); taught at Music School Settlement in NY (1899–1916), becoming head of theory department; served as head of theory department at David Mannes School of Music (1916–21); with Elizabeth Quaile, co-founded Diller-Quaile School of Music and served as administrator (1921–41), becoming director and part-time teacher, then director emeritus; with Margarethe Dessoff, co-founded Adesdi Chorus (1924) and A Capella Chorus (1929), which later merged into Dessoff Choirs; was visiting instructor at numerous institutions, and lectured in Europe and US (1930–50); received Guggenheim Foundation award to write The Splendor of Music (1953); collaborated on music books with Elizabeth Quaile, Kate Stearns Page and Harold Bauer. Authored First Theory Book (1921), Keyboard Music Study, Books 1 and 2 (1936–37), and The Splendor of Music (1957).