CARREÑO, Teresa – All Classical Research

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Dec 22, 1853
Died in New York, NY, June 12, 1917

Teresa Carreño was a pianist, singer (soprano), and composer born to a musical family. In 1862, Carreño’s family moved to New York in response to growing political instability in Venezuela. There, an eight-year-old Carreño made her professional debut, mentored by L. M. Gottschalk.
- In 1866, the family moved to Paris where the young composer continued to compose and perform international tours.
- As a young adult, Carreño would return to the States, eventually making New York her home.
Carreño was among the first female pianists to tour the United States, serving as a role model for new generations of American women who entered musical life as professional performers and composers.
As a composer, Carreño wrote ~ 80 works, most of them written earlier on in her career to be performed herself in concert.¹
Fun fact – As an international piano sensation, Carreño acquired the nickname, “Valkyrie of the piano.”
- Additional fun fact – In 1863, when Carreño was still a child, she performed for Abraham Lincoln at the White House. Decades later, in 1916, she returned to the White House to perform for Woodrow Wilson.

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13 Facts about Carreño via Interlude