Kane County Reporter

Minnie "Maud" Powell was born on August 22, 1867, in Peru, Illinois. Her parents were Wilhelmina "Minnie" Bengelstraeter Powell and William Bramwell Powell. At age seven, she began violin and piano lessons in Aurora, Illinois. She quickly showed talent and was recognized as a prodigy. At age nine, she traveled to Chicago for piano study with Agnes Ingersoll and violin study with William Lewis.

At age 13, Maud's family sold their home to fund her musical education in Europe. She studied at the Leipzig Conservatoire, Paris Conservatoire, and Berlin Hochschule. In 1885, she debuted with the Berlin Philharmonic. Returning to the U.S., she performed with the New York Philharmonic.

Maud was the first American violinist to perform Tchaikovsky and Sibelius violin concertos in America. She also championed works by American, women, and black composers. She made the first Red Seal records for the Victor Talking Machine Company.

On November 27, 1919, Maud suffered a heart attack while performing in St. Louis, Missouri. She died on January 8, 1920, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Maud Powell left a lasting legacy in the world of music, influencing countless musicians and expanding the violin repertoire. In 2014, she was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.