W. H. Neidlinger

William Harold Neidlinger (July 20, 1863 – December 5, 1924^[1]) was an American music pedagogue and composer. He was well known for his musical compositions spanning from religious topics to children's entertainment and was active as a choral conductor and organist.^[2][3]

Biography

Neidlinger was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was a student of Dudley Buck,^[1] making Buck's influences and preferred themes being imprinted in his works. Before settling in Chicago in 1901, Niedlinger was a music teacher in Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences and studied in Paris and London.^[4] He became the founder of a school for children with Intellectual disability.^[1]

Neidlinger was also the composer^[5] of multiple songs for Camp Fire Girls of America that were used for the social rituals at that time. His most famous composition is The Birthday of a King.^[6][7] He died in 1924 in East Orange, New Jersey.