author
Mabel W. (Mabel Wheeler) Daniels
1878–1971
A pioneering American composer, conductor, and teacher, she built a life in music at a time when women were rarely encouraged to lead in the field. Her work ranges from choral and orchestral writing to memoir, reflecting both skill and a clear independent spirit.
1 Audiobook
An American Girl in Munich: Impressions of a Music Student
by Mabel W. (Mabel Wheeler) Daniels
About the author
Born in Swampscott, Massachusetts, Mabel Wheeler Daniels grew up in a musical family and began composing when she was young. She studied at Radcliffe College, worked with George Whitefield Chadwick in Boston, and later continued her training in Munich, building a strong foundation as both a composer and musician.
Daniels went on to teach and lead musical groups, including work with the Radcliffe Glee Club and at Simmons College. She became known especially for choral and orchestral music, and her career showed unusual range: she was not only a composer, but also a conductor and teacher who helped shape musical life in Boston and beyond.
She is also remembered for her memoir Deep Far Away, which gives a lively picture of her artistic world and travels. Today, she stands out as an important American woman composer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, admired for the seriousness of her craft and the determination with which she made her own path.