Frances Marion Ralston (âÂÂFannyâÂÂ) (7 January 1875 - 5 February 1952) was an American author, composer, pianist and teacher. Widely published during her lifetime, she is best known for her works for piano.
Ralston was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Lucy Boyd Lewis and John Ralston. She studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music and in Chicago. Her teachers included Carl Faelten,ÃÂ Arthur Foote, Percy Goetschius, Ernest R. Kroeger, Fannie Payne, Richard S. Poppen, Nellie Strong Stevenson and Adolf Weidig. In 1896, she gave a recital of her own compositions in St. Louis.
Ralston was awarded residencies at the MacDowell Colony (today known as MacDowell) in 1917, 1918, 1919, 1926, and 1944. She served as director of the music department at Central College (Lexington, Missouri) for two years, and director of the music school at Rockford College (today Rockford University) in Illinois for nine years. She died in Arcadia, California.
Ralston's works are archived at the University of California, Los Angeles, Library. They were published by Balmer and Weber, Breitkopf & Härtel, C. F. Summy, Composer Press, G. Schirmer Inc., Hatch Music Company, R. G. Badger, Schroeder & Gunther, Theodore Presser Company and Thiebes-Stierlin Music Company. Her works include: