Otto Kinkeldey

Otto Kinkeldey (November 27, 1878 – September 19, 1966) was an American music librarian and musicologist. He was the first president of the American Musicological Society and held the first chair in musicology at any American university.

Biography Kinkeldey was born in Manhattan, New York City on November 27, 1878. He received his B.A. in 1898 from City College of New York and his M.A. from New York University in 1900.

Returning to New York, he served in the United States Army during World War I. He became head of the New York Public Library's Music Division, serving in that capacity from 1915 to 1923. While at North Texas, Kinkeldey profoundly influenced Anna Harriet Heyer (1909–2002), the head music librarian at North Texas.

He was elected the first president of the American Musicological Society in 1935, which honored him posthumously in creating the Otto Kinkeldey Award. The award is given each year to recognize the most distinguished book in musicology published during the previous year.

Kinkeldey died in South Orange, New Jersey, September 19, 1966.

Honors and awards Townsend Harris Medal, City College of New York Honorary Doctor of Letters, Princeton University