Watson, Mrs. Regina

1854-

Contemporary German pianist and highly successful teacher of the piano, who for many years has made her home in America. She was born Regina Colen, at Breslau, Germany; under Carl Tausig took a course of study in piano, was a pupil of Friedrich Weitzmann in harmony and composition, and studied score-reading under Otto Lessmann. After her marriage to Dr. Lewis Harrison Watson of Chicago, she established in Chicago a music school for the higher art of piano-playing, patterned after the celebrated Tausig School of Berlin. This school has proved a pronounced success. In the earlier years Mrs. Watson did much successful concert work, appearing as soloist with the Thomas Orchestra, the Boston Menhelssohn Quintette the Chicago Beethoven Society and Apollo Club. Owing to a nervous affection in her arms her career as concert pianist was cut short. As teacher she has been unusually successful, her pupils occupying honorable positions as executants as well as teachers. She makes a specialty of preparing for the teaching profession, training concert pianists in repertory, also gives lecture recitals on various musical subjects. Her compositions consist of songs; piano-pieces; the two large melodramas, Judith and Holofernes, and the Countess Laura.