Atwood (Albert and Elaine) collection on Thilo Becker and Otie Chew, circa 1888-1984

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Summary

Title:
Albert and Elaine Atwood collection on Thilo Becker and Otie Chew
Dates:
circa 1888-1984
Abstract:
The collection consists of material relating to the careers of Thilo Becker and Otie Chew, prominent Los Angeles musicians and music teachers. There are clippings and programs relating to their performance and teaching careers, and to the performance careers of several of their students. There are also scrapbooks documenting piano concerts given in Los Angeles from 1915-1956.
Extent:
2 Linear Feet (4 flat boxes, 1 document box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Albert and Elaine Atwood Collection on Thilo Becker and Otie Chew (Collection PASC-M 60). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of material relating to the careers of Thilo Becker and Otie Chew, and to the careers of their students. There are clippings and programs, mostly contained in scrapbooks. There is an unpublished book manuscript by Becker and a small amount of music composed by him. There is a small amount of material regarding Richard Wagner, including cards depicting scenes from his operas. Also of interest are scrapbooks compiled by Marjorie Barker, a student of Becker's, that document a large number of piano concerts given in Los Angeles over the course of decades.

Biographical / historical:

Thilo Becker and Otie Chew were a married couple who were prominent musicians and music teachers in Los Angeles throughout the first half of the twentieth century. Becker, a pianist, was born in Australia in 1868, and spent several years studying in Leipzig, Germany before emigrating to Los Angeles in 1894. He gave a few recitals, but quickly gained more prominence as a teacher than as a performer. Chew, a violinist, was born in London in 1880 and was recognized as a child prodigy, earning a scholarship to the Royal College of Music at the age of 11. In 1907 she moved to Los Angeles and met Becker, and the two soon married. They enjoyed a prominent place in Los Angeles musical society, teaching scores of students and hosting guests at their home studio on Alvarado Street. In the 1930s they revived their performing careers for some time, giving a number of dual recitals in the city. Thilo Becker died on December 16, 1944 and Otie Chew Becker died on January 22, 1953.

Albert and Elaine Atwood were friends of Otie Chew. Elaine was Chew's youngest pupil, but they did not have a social relationship until Becker's death in 1944. As a widow, Chew became a close friend to both the Atwoods, traveling with them on many occasions and entrusting them with portions of her estate.

Processing information:

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Arrangement:

This collection is arranged into the following series:

  • Series 1. Personal papers
  • Series 2. Scrapbooks
  • Series 3. Music manuscripts

Physical location:
Stored off-site. All requests to access special collections material must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Finding aid prepared by Doug Johnson, 2015; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé.
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2022-08-02 11:03:31 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for research. All requests to access special collections materials must be made in advance using the request button located on this page.

Terms of access:

Property rights to the physical objects belong to UCLA Library Special Collections. All other rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Albert and Elaine Atwood Collection on Thilo Becker and Otie Chew (Collection PASC-M 60). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, University of California, Los Angeles.

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988
AskLSC@library.ucla.edu
Website