Ida Bostelmann

Ida Clara Bostelmann was born on 23 May 1894 in Corning (New York, USA). Her father, a German-born lawyer, violinist, violin maker, and music educator, had emigrated to the United States as a child and became an important figure in the musical life of Corning. In 1898, he founded the Corning Conservatory of Music, an institution that played a central role in local music education for approximately two decades and became the setting for Ida’s earliest musical development.
After completing her initial training in Corning, she continued her studies at the Institute of Musical Art in New York - today known as the Juilliard School - and graduated in 1916. During her studies, she worked with Betsy Culp, Percy Goetschius, Horatio Parker, and Rubin Goldmark.
As a young musician, Ida Bostelmann initially intended to pursue a career as a concert pianist. However, a physical injury prevented her from continuing along this path professionally. Rather than withdrawing from music, she redirected her ambitions toward teaching and composition. Over the following decades, she established herself as a piano teacher and increasingly as a composer. In 1931, she married the composer and musician Thomas Scribner Cobb (1907–1951), and the couple settled in New York City. There, she continued an active musical life that combined private teaching, composition, and publication. Her creative output became exceptionally extensive and focused particularly on piano music and works for young performers.
Ida Bostelmann published hundreds of compositions during her lifetime and became particularly known for her contributions to children’s and educational music. Her catalogue includes 87 works for children, numerous elementary and intermediate piano pieces, approximately thirty songs, two short operas, several instrumental works, and a large body of repertoire for solo piano.
Ida Bostelmann died on 1 July 1979 in New York City (New York, USA).

In my possession is the autograph manuscript of the work "Danza tedesca" for piano by Ida Bostelmann. The manuscript was found in the musical estate of pianist Elly Ney.