Grace Welsh

In 1922, Welsh first appeared as a professional pianist and composer in Chicago when she played her Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor alongside violinist Hans Muenzer. The sonata was also performed by the violinists Ebba Sundstrom Nylander and Stella Roberts. During the same year, Welsh held a piano recital as a tribute to her former teacher from when she taught at the American Conservatory of Music.^[4] She later played her Sonata in B minor for Violin and Piano with violinist Michael de Stefano, who was part of the New York Philharmonic. In 1930, Welsh performed a recital in New York. In 1931, she was a soloist as part of the Woman's Symphony Orchestra of Chicago.^[1] She performed with the Musical Arts club, which contained 40 women, in Wausau, Wisconsin, in 1938.^[5] Welsh taught piano for more than 60 years. She was the associate director at the American Conservatory of Music. At one point, Welsh turned down becoming president of the American Conservatory of Music due to thinking that it would get in the way of her teaching music.^[2]

She retired from the American Conservatory in 1981, and the Grace Welsh Prize for Piano competition is held there every year in the spring.^[2] The competition is funded by donations from Welsh's former students.^[3] Welsh was inducted into the Chicago Senior Citizens' Hall of Fame when she turned 100 years old.^[2] A yearly piano recital, which included some of her former students, was held for her at a Park Ridge, Illinois retirement home.^[3] Welsh died on June 15, 1999, in Park Ridge at a retirement home. She was buried in Boone, Iowa.^[2]