Porter, Frank Addison

1859-

Teacher and composer; born at Dixmont, Maine. When eleven years old he began to study music in his native place, later studied in Bangor, Maine, where he sang in St. Mary's Catholic Church, and occasionally played the organ. Going to Boston he entered the New England Conservatory of Music in 1879, taking lessons in piano, organ, voice, harmony, theory, counterpoint and conducting from Turner, Emery, Tamburello, Parker, Chadwick and Zerrahn. In 1885 he was appointed professor of piano, and in 1892 organizer and superintendent of the Piano Normal Department of the Conservatory, a position which he still retains. In 1893 he went to Germany to finish his studies under Hofmann, Freitag and others at Leipsic. He has composed much piano-music, including prelude and fugue, and prelude and fughetta; two mazurkas; a nocturne; romance; melody; To the Woodlands, containing seven numbers in different forms; In the Springtime; a sonatina; Four Easy Pieces; Practical Finger Exercises; the New England Conservatory Course for Piano; two books, and thirty-five other selected pieces with some original ones, and a number of songs for solo voice, as well as seven short responses for quartet or chorus. He has given occasional concerts in Boston. Mr. Porter does not confine his activities to the Conservatory but gives private lessons at his studio in Steinert Hall, Boston. He ranks high among teachers of music, and his works are of great value to teachers as well as pupils.