Dragica Legat Košmerl

Karolina Legat Košmerl, also known as Dragica Legat Košmerl, (29 October 1883 – 1 September 1956) was a Slovenian zither player, zither teacher, and composer. She is considered the most important Slovenian zither player and educator in mid-1900s. Her mother, Leopolda Korošec, rented out rooms, and her father, Franc Legat, was a clerk. Her mother came from Kranj, and her father from Zasip; a few months before her birth they moved to Ljubljana. She attended the five-grade municipal German language girls' elementary school in Ljubljana.

Work Dragica Legat Košmerl (centre) performing with a trio on Radio Ljubljana in 1929. In 1899 she began working as a zither teacher, which she did throughout her life. For the next five decades she taught the zither privately as well as in schools. She devoted herself in particular to teaching children that were blind or deaf-mute. She also composed works for the zither. She arranged many Slovenian folk songs, as well as some classical works, for the zither. On 28 November 1907 she married Janez Košmerl - Janko (1880–1961), a railway clerk and amateur accordionist from Sodražica. She dedicated several of her compositions to him. When Radio Ljubljana, the first Slovene radio station, began operating in 1928, she became an active contributor and performed frequently on the radio, most often in a trio with another zither player and a violinist. In 1952 she published a zither textbook with sheet music: Šola za citre (Zither School). In the book she paid special attention to tuning the zither.

Later life and death In the 1930s, enthusiasm for the zither in Slovenia faded. The recipient receives the Draga Košmerl recognition for outstanding work in the teaching of the zither, writing teaching materials, researching the history of zither playing, and organizing zither events and projects. Only Slovenian citizens or Slovenian organizations may receive the recognition. An individual may receive it more than once.