Branscombe, Gena

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gena_Branscombe
  • Wiki Biography:
    • Gena Branscombe (4 November 1881 – 26 July 1977) was a Canadian pianist, composer, music educator and choir conductor who lived and worked in the United States.
    • Gena Branscombe was born 4 November 1881 in Picton, Ontario. Her musical talent was apparent at an early age. She studied piano and harmony with local teachers. In addition, she had an easy ability improvising and sight reading. Gena entered high school at age eleven and graduated by age fourteen. With her musical talent and drive to succeed, the decision was made to send her to college for a music degree.
    • With her mother as moral support for one year, Branscombe moved to Chicago in 1896 where she was accepted at the Chicago Musical College. Chicago became her home for the next eleven years as she became financially self-sufficient through her accompanying, teaching private piano lessons and having her songs published. In 1900 and 1901, she won gold medals in composition from the college. After graduation, she joined the faculty of the Chicago Musical College.
    • n 1920, Branscombe completed her largest work, the oratorio Pilgrims of Destiny, based on the Mayflower pilgrims’ arrival in November 1620. The National League of American Pen Women awarded this work their national Best Composition award in 1928. A gala performance took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts as part of National Federation of Music Clubs national convention. Due to the patriotic subject matter of her oratorio and the many awards presented to her, the Music Department of the Library of Congress in 1960 requested Branscombe’s original orchestral score and orchestra parts for Pilgrims of Destiny.
    • Gena Branscombe was born to parents, Henry William Branscombe, a dentist, optometrist and druggist and her mother, Sara Elizabeth Allison Branscombe, poet and newspaper woman. She had two older brothers, the first died in infancy and her second brother, Clarence Henry who was ten years older than she. Her heritage was from the village of Branscombe in Devonshire, England and of Scottish Highlander, Holland and Sweden.
  • Second Great Granddaughter to United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=826
  • Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/189150568/gena-tenney