Sara Opal Piontkowski Heron Search
(14 July 1890 - 3 September 1961) was an American composer who wrote chamber music as well as works for orchestra, concert band, and voice under the name Sara Opal Search.
Search was born in
Fort Worth, Texas. Her mother was Countess Dolly von Piontkowski. Little is known about her education. She married
Herbert Heron
The Forest Theater is an historic amphitheater in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Founded in 1910, it is one of the oldest outdoor theaters west of the Rockies. Actor/director Herbert Heron is generally cited as the founder and driving force, and ...
in 1905 or 1906, and they had two children, Billie and Constance. In 1923, she divorced Heron and married cellist and composer Frederick Preston Search, who was an orchestra leader at the Hotel del Monte in Carmel, California, at the time.
Search’s first composition, ''Symphony in c minor'', was copyrighted in 1941.
In a letter to Howes Norris Jr., who had requested her autograph, she noted that. . . "my ''Symphony in c minor'' is my first composition; Mr. Wallenstine
Alfred Wellenstein">Alfred_Wallenstein.html" ;"title="robably Alfred Wallenstein">Alfred Wellensteinis the first conductor to read it and conduct it; and you are the first person to ask me for my autograph!"
Search’s works are archived at the University of California, Berkeley’s Hargrove Music Library.
Her compositions include:
Band
*Barcarolle
*Serenade (trombone and concert band)
*Waltz
Chamber
*Allegro Giocoso (flute solo)
*Quintet (woodwind quintet)
*Scherzo (string quartet)
*Solo for Cello
*Solo for Trumpet
*String Quartet in e flat minor
*String Quartet No. 2
Orchestra
*Allegro Giocoso (flute and orchestra)
*Allegro Moderato (violin or cello and orchestra)
*Suite for Symphony Orchestra
*Symphony in c minor (string orchestra)
*Symphony No. 2
Piano
*Go to Sleep
*Little Darling Waltz
*Nocturnes No. 1 and 2
*Pastoral
*Prelude
*Serenade
*Siesta
*Waltz
*Waltzing in the Park
Vocal
*Dirge (voice and piano)
*I’m So Blue (voice and piano)
*Kathleen (voice and piano)
*Linda (voice and piano)
*Remember, My Darling (voice, brass, and strings)
*Song for Susie/Kitty Song (voice and piano)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Search, Sara Opal
American women composers
String quartet composers
1890 births
1961 deaths
People from Fort Worth, Texas