Bird, Arthur

1856-

American composer, who lives in Germany. Born in Cambridge, Mass. Went to Berlin at the age of nineteen and for two years studied the piano and theory with Laschhorn, Haupt and Rohde. In 1877 he returned to America and was organist at Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he also taught in several schools and organized a male chorus, the first in that province. He returned to Berlin in 1881, studying composition and orchestration with Heinrich Urban, and afterward spending two years at Weimar with Liszt. Mr. Bird's first concert in Berlin, given in 1886, was very successful. After a visit to America the same year, he returned to Germany where he has lived ever since in Berlin. He won the Paderewski prize for chamber-music in 1901 with his serenade for wind-instruments. His other compositions are a comic opera Daphne, a ballet Rubezahl, a Symphony in A and three suites for the orchestra, beside many pieces for the piano and for piano and violin.