Violeta Hemsy de Gainza

Violeta Hemsy de Gainza (25 January 1929 – 7 July 2023) was an Argentine pianist and music pedagogue. She focused on the music education of children, improvisation and music therapy, considering learning music a human right. Her books were translated into many languages. She served in international organisations, as a board member of the International Society for Music Education from 1985 to 1990, and as president of the Latin American Forum of Musical Education from its foundation in 1995 to 2005.

Early life and education Violeta Hemsy de Gainza was born in Tucumán Province on 25 January 1929, to Turkish Sephardic immigrants. Her mother sang French songs to her,

Career Hemsy served as Director of the Commission of Music Therapy of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) from 1974 to 1986. She was professor of music didactics and improvisation at the University of La Plata, professor of music didactics at the National Conservatory of Music Carlos López Buchardo (1983), and professor at the Municipal Conservatory Manuel de Falla. She was a member of the UNESCO World Council for the Arts in Valencia, Spain.

She wrote about 40 publications that have been translated into English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Dutch, ranging from general music pedagogy, piano, and guitar teaching, to children's and youth vocal ensembles, as well as improvisation and music therapy; She wrote a songbook, Tucumán canta, featuring the musical heritage of the Tucumán Province. It was honoured by the Municipality of San Miguel de Tucumán on International Women's Day in 2019. , , and .

In 1987, Hemsy received the Gold Medal of the Peña El Cardón of Tucumán,

Works Fundamentos, materiales y técnicas de la educación musical (1984), Editorial Ricordi Americana. La iniciación musical del niño (1984), Editorial Ricordi Americana. Método para piano (1984), Editorial Barry. Música para niños compuesta por niños (1984), Editorial Guadalupe. A jugar y cantar con el piano (1993), Editorial Guadalupe. La educación musical frente al futuro (1993), Editorial Guadalupe. La improvisación musical (1993), Editorial Ricordi Americana. El cantar tiene sentido (1994), Editorial Ricordi Americana. Aproximación a la eutonía, conversaciones con Gerda Alexander (1997), Editorial Paidós. Claudio Gabis: sur, blues y educación musical (2000), Editorial Lumen. En música in dependencia educación y crisis social (2007), Editorial Lumen. Conversaciones con Gerda Alexander (2007), Editorial Lumen.