About Martha Alter
Lived 1904 – 1976 (aged 72). Martha Alter was an American composer.
Martha Alter (8 February 1904 – 3 June 1976) was an American pianist, music teacher and composer.
Life and career Martha Alter was born in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, to parents David Boyd and Daisy Myrl Alter. She graduated from Vassar College in 1925. Alter continued her studies, receiving a master's in musicology from Columbia University and a master's of music composition from Eastman School of Music, studying with Ernest Hutcheson, Rubin Goldmark, Howard Hanson and Bernard Rogers.
She taught at Vassar College from 1929-1931 and took a position teaching music at Connecticut College in 1942. She died in Newport, Pennsylvania, and her papers are housed at the Vassar College Libraries.
Works Selected compositions include:
O Bethlehem Peace Bill George, march and song for baritone and orchestra, poem by Malcolm Cowley Anthony Cotnstock or A Puritan's Progress, ballet Groceries and Notions, drama with Gertrude Brown, book by K.K. Doughtie
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Important facts
People in Martha Alter's life
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Martha Alter?
American composer
When was Martha Alter born?
Martha Alter was born on 8 February 1904 in Bloomfield.
When did Martha Alter die?
Martha Alter died on 3 June 1976 in Newport, Pennsylvania.
What was Martha Alter's occupation?
Martha Alter was a composer.
What nationality was Martha Alter?
Martha Alter was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Martha Alter. https://biography.guide/martha-alter/
MLA: "Martha Alter." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/martha-alter/.
Chicago: "Martha Alter." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/martha-alter/.
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