Zenobia Perry

1908 - 2004

About

Zenobia Perry (1908 – 2004) born in Boley, Oklahoma is an African American female composer, pianist, and educator of African-American and Creek Indian descent. She was encouraged by her mother to pursue her musical taste and studied piano with local Mayme Jones, who referred her to R. Nathaniel Dett in 1931. Though she wanted to fully commit to music, Perry made a promise to her father to pursue teaching and did not return to her studies as a pianist and composer until she continued her studies at University of Wyoming under Darius Milhaud. Therefore, she did not start composing seriously until her forties. Throughout her career, Zenobia maintained teaching positions at institutions such as University of Arkansas and Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio while various performing ensembles performed her works. Perry stands rightfully beside the black composers of her generation, leaving behind a collection of works that includes art song, piano music, choral music, chamber music, and opera.

Related Information

http://www.zenobiapowellperry.org/compositions.html, http://bmrcsurvey.uchicago.edu/collections/2553

Works by Zenobia Perry