Helen Searles Westbrook
Helen Searles Westbrook was an American composer and organist who appeared with Chicago Symphony.
Life
Westbrook was born in Southbridge, Massachusetts. She began organ lessons at age eleven with her mother, who was also an organist. Westbrook then studied with Arthur Dunham, Frank van Dusen, Wilhelm Middleschutte and Adolf Weidig at the American Conservatory, where she received a gold medal, as well as a young American Artists award. She married James Westbrook.Westbrook was a theatre organist in Chicago. She played promotional concerts for the Hammond Organ Studios. She played with the Chicago Opera Company under Bruno Walter, as an organ soloist with Chicago Symphony, and on a WGN radio program for CBS which used her compositions "Dusk at Friendship Lake" and "Retrospection" as the program's theme songs. She was the music director at Central Church in Chicago.
Westbrook was a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers and the Chicago Club of Women Organists. She helped manage the club's "Florence B. Price Organ Composition Contest" in 1954.
Through Replica Records, Westbrook released at least one 33 rpm recording Buddy's Butterfly 2) The Thistle/Buddy's Garden 3) Christmas Eve/Plasco Toys.
Compositions
Westbrook's compositions include:Organ
Andante ReligiosoChanson TristeConcert Piece in DDusk at Friendship Lakeu Here Comes Santa Claus IntermezzoLaughing SpritesLentoMelodieMenuett in Olden StyleOn the Ontonagon RiverPastorale Scherzo Poem for AutumnRetrospection,.- ''Waltz Circe''
Vocal
AlabasterChrist My Refuge Hindu Cradle SongIf You Call MeInvincible Magnificat March Beside Him, LordMusic I Heard With You Six Indian SongsSolace- ''Wedding Prayer''