Ruth Barrett Phelps

Ruth was born on October 21, 1899 in Albany, New York.[1] She studied under a number of well-known teachers including Lilian Carpenter, Lynnwood Farnam, Ernest Mitchell, Fritz Heitmann, and Frank La Forge; and attended Guilmant Organ School in New York City and American School of Music in Fontainebleau, France.[2][3]

In 1926 she was a resident organist at the Colony Theatre in New York City.[4] She moved to the Cameo Theatre in 1928.[4] While in New York she performed concerts of classical music at Aeolian Hall.[4] It was unusual for women to be organists at the time.[3]

She married Lawrence I. Phelps, an organ builder, and from this point on performed as Ruth Barrett Phelps.[4][5] She became the principal organist at The First Church of Christ, Scientist by 1950, the Aeolian-Skinner organ installed during her tenure was designed by her husband.[5][6][7] As a result, she became one of Boston's prominent musicians, and made recordings and national radio broadcasts from the church.[8][9] She was the first woman dean of the Massachusetts chapter of the American Guild of Organists.[7][3] In addition to the church work she gave concerts of classical music.[10] She wrote a monthly review column in The Christian Science Monitor, and published a number of music books.[3]

Ruth Barrett Phelps died on August 30, 1980 in San Mateo, California.[1]