Fay Foster (November 8, 1886 – April 17, 1960) was an American pianist, composer, and teacher.
Biography Foster was born in Leavenworth, Kansas on November 8, 1886. She was a child prodigy, performing publicly by the age of 5, and professionally as organist and choir director by age 12. In Chicago she studied piano under William Hall Sherwood, voice under Mme Dove-Boitte, and theory with Frederick Grant Gleason. At the age of 17 she went on a national tour playing the piano for Sherwood's Grand Opera Company. Following her Chicago studies, at the age of 19, she was appointed director of the Grand Prairie Seminary's Conservatory of Music in Onarga, Illinois. In 1897 she opened a studio in Chicago's Steinway Hall to teach piano and theory.
In 1899 she travelled to Europe for twelve years, studying further under Heinrich Schwartz, Moritz Rosenthal, and Sofie Menter in Munich, and under Theodore Wiehmeyer, Alfred Reisenauer, and Salomon Jadassohn at the Leipzig Conservatory. She studied singing under Siga Garso, Hans Weinhoppel and Alexander Heinemann. She performed opera for two years in Italy.
In 1910, Berlin's Die Woche sponsored an international contest for a waltz modelled on the Blue Danube. Her waltz "The Prairie Flower" (originally titled "Sit Illi Terra Levis"), judged by a panel headed by Johann Strauss III, won second prize out of 4,222 submissions.
In early 1911 she returned to Kansas City to be with her sick father. Soon afterward she settled in New York City, establishing educational studios in Manhattan and in Hempstead. She divided her time between composing, teaching, and recital/accompanist work. She founded and directed the Foster Choral Club in Hempstead, Long Island. She taught voice at the American Institute of Applied Music. With two of her AIAM colleagues Josef Berge and Gene Gravelle, she founded the Foster Trio vocal ensemble. From 1923 to 1933 she taught at the Ogontz School in Rydall, Pennsylvania.
Foster was a prolific song composer. She won first place in the American Composers Competition in 1913. Her song "Are You For Me or Against Me?" won a prize in 1919 from the New York American, a competition with over 10,000 applicants. Foster was the only woman composer to win a prize.
Her song "The Americans Come (An Episode in France in the Year 1918)" was her most widely heard composition, having become part of the American post-WWI propaganda effort. George Harris Jr. and Margaret Romaine sang it on their tour in support of Liberty Loans, and Pathé contributed sales of its recording by Paul Althouse to the war bond effort. Reinald Werrenrath recorded it for RCA Victor. It had performances at New York Hippodrome by John McCormack, by Lotta Madden and several others at New York's Wanamaker's, by Yvonne de Tréville in Washington DC, and by Schumann-Heink and Theodore Van Yorx. In 1930 the song was turned into a short film by Alfred Mannon and Elmer Clifton featuring Otto Matieson.
She was a member of the Society of American Women Composers, Society of German Composers, the youngest admitted member of the Chicago Manuscript Society, the Authors' League of America, the Guild of Vocal Teachers, and the Musicians, No Name, Gamut, and MacDowell clubs of New York. She owned a summer home in Lavallette, New Jersey.
Compositions Below is a non-comprehensive list of Foster's compositions. Title InstrumentationComment Prairie flowers PianoWon the 1910 International Waltz Competition in Berlin Etude de Concert PianoWon first prize in an Etude contestPetite Valse de BalletPianoSunset in a Japanese GardenPiano Women's Choruses VoiceThe Honorable Chop-SticksVoiceThe Shadow of the Bamboo FenceVoiceLyrics by Lafcadio HearnThe Cruel Mother-in-LawVoiceLyrics by Lafcadio Hearn, dedicated to Anna Addison Moody.The Red HeartVoice#1 of Two Japanese Sword SongsA Nipponese Sword SongVoice#2 of Two Japanese Sword Songs The Americans come: an episode in France in the year 1918 VoiceBased on a poem by Elizabeth A. Wilbur published in Munsey's Magazine. Dusk in June VoiceA Snow SongVoiceA MaidenVoice Russian Doll Voice In the carpenter shop Voice Your kiss VoiceLyrics by Sara TeasdaleSol' Down de StreamVoiceLyrics by Paul Lawrence Dunbar, dedicated to Foster's fatherCon AmoreVoiceLyrics by Ray Clarke RoseMy Journey's EndVoiceLyrics by Florence Tarr (a student of Foster's)ChainsVoiceDon't Want to KnowVoiceI Can Sing You a Song of SpringtimeVoiceFive Songs of ChildhoodVoiceLyrics by Ray Clark Rose. One of the songs is Fairy CastlesKarmaVoiceWinterVoiceWon 1st prize in New York's American song competition in 1914. Lyrics by I. Zangwill.The KingVoiceLyrics by Horatio WinslowSing a Song of RosesVoiceA Kiss in Colin's EyesVoicePublished by William A. Pond & CoThe Sheep in the SkyVoicePublished by William A. Pond & CoOne Golden DayVoiceDer MalerVoiceLyrics by A. Glück, English translation by Allen Monroe Foster, dedicated to Oscar Seagle who premiered the song.The Call of the TrailVoiceDedicated to Ethelynde SmithThe DaughterVoiceSpinning WheelVoiceAlso a prize winner in New York's American song competition in 1914. Lyrics based on poetry of Alfred Perceval Graves.Springtide of LoveVoiceDedicated to Paul AlthouseIn the Ilex ShadowVoiceIf I Were the King of IrelandVoicePeace, Ye Martyred OnesVoiceThe Nightingales of FlandersVoiceLyrics by Grace ConklingMy MenagerieVoiceLyrics by Mrs. Elder from a poem found in The Youth's Companion. Dedicated to Louis Graveure.O'er Bloomy Lands or HeatherVoiceSecret LanguagesVoiceLyrics by Melville Chater. Dedicated to Kathleen Hart Bibb.SwingingVoiceWhen Lovers PartVoiceLyrics by James. I. WhiteLove in AbsenceVoiceLouisiana LullabyChoralIn the Carpenter's ShopChoralPublished by Oliver Ditson Company. Won a prize given by the Women's Federation of Music Clubs.A Little Boy's DreamChoralThe Etude from this chorus won a Theodore Presser prize The Moon Lady, Chinese theme OperaThe CastawaysOperettaLibretto by Alice Monroe FosterThe Land of ChanceOperettaBook and lyrics by Alice Monroe Foster Blue Beard Operetta
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