Mildred Barnes Royse

Mildred Barnes Royse (9 February 1896 – 25 February 1986) was an American composer, pianist and teacher. She published music under the names Mildred Barnes and Mildred Royse.^[1][2][3]

Royse was born in Illinois to Lulu F. and John A. Barnes.^[3] In 1920, she earned a teacher’s diploma at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago, then pursued advanced studies at Columbia University. She married Morton W. Royse in 1927 and they had one daughter.^[4] Royse studied privately with Walter Piston and Leo Sowerby from 1928 to 1932, then taught piano and theory at the Midtown Music School in New York from 1937 to 1938.^[1]

Royse’s music was published by H. W. Gray, Mercury Music Corporation and White Smith & Company.^[1][5] Her works included:

Chamber

• Five Pieces (violin and piano)^[1]

• Haitian Suite (woodwinds and percussion)^[1]

• Trio (clarinet, viola and piano)^[1]

Operetta

• Gingerbread Man (for children)^[1]

• Naughty Ninky (for children)^[1]

Orchestra

• Suite for Strings^[1]

Piano

• Theme and Eight Variations^[1]

Vocal

• Christmas Folk Song (mixed voices; text by Lizette W. Reese)^[6]

• Five Historical Songs^[1]

• Four Anthems (mixed choir)^[1]

• My Help Cometh from the Lord Psalm 121 (SATB with piano or organ)^[7]

• Snowbound Mountains: White Russian Folk Song (SATB with piano)^[5]