# Prudence Neff

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{{Short description|American musician (1887–1949)}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Prudence Neff
| image              = PrudenceNeff1915b.png
| alt                = A young white woman seated on a piano bench, wearing a headband with a white lacy ruffleand a long light-colored lace gown with loosely draped short sleeves
| caption            = Prudence Neff, from a 1915 publication
| other_names        = Prudence Dolejsi, Prudence Neff Thomas
| birth_name         = 
| birth_date         = June 9, 1887
| birth_place        = Nebraska City, Nebraska
| death_date         = December 23, 1949 (aged 62)
| death_place        = Chicago, Illinois
| occupation         = Music teacher, pianist
| years_active       = 
| known_for          = 
| notable_works      = 
| spouse(s)          = 
| relatives          = 
}}

'''Prudence Maria Neff''' (June 9, 1887 – December 23, 1949) was an American pianist and music teacher, based in Alabama as a young woman, and in Chicago for the rest of her career.

== Early life ==
Prudence Neff was born in [Nebraska City, Nebraska](/source/Nebraska_City%2C_Nebraska), and raised in Chicago, the daughter of Anton Neff and Theresa Meyer Neff. Her father, who worked for the railroad, was born in Switzerland.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1928-09-26 |title=Former Resident Dies in Chicago |pages=2 |work=Nebraska Daily News-Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104070094/former-resident-dies-in-chicago/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> At the [Chicago Musical College](/source/Chicago_Musical_College), she studied piano with Glenn Dillard Gunn, and [music theory](/source/music_theory) with [Adolphe Brune](/source/Adolphe_Brune) and [Felix Borowski](/source/Felix_Borowski).<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=1907-09-26 |title=A Musical Treat |pages=8 |work=The Weekly Wymorean |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104093819/a-musical-treat/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Her "All-American" education was a selling point for Neff as a performer during the 1910s.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1915-09-15 |title=An All-American Concert Plan of Muskogee Clubs |pages=5 |work=Muskogee Times-Democrat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104094415/an-all-american-concert-plan-of/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

== Career ==
Neff was a concert pianist who toured the United States with [Hugo Heermann](/source/Hugo_Heermann) and [Maggie Teyte](/source/Maggie_Teyte).<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |date=June 1915 |title=Miss Prudence Neff, Birmingham, Alabama |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-QAtAAAAYAAJ&dq=Prudence+Neff+Chicago&pg=PA424 |journal=The Musical Monitor |volume=4 |pages=424}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=1915-05-27 |title=Benefit Recital for Miss Prudence Neff |pages=6 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104093357/benefit-recital-for-miss-prudence-neff/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She taught piano at Englewood Musical College in Chicago as a young woman,<ref name=":0" /> and at the Southern School of Musical Art in [Birmingham, Alabama](/source/Birmingham%2C_Alabama).<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=A.H.C. |date=May 15, 1915 |title=Birmingham Girl Winner of Piano Contest in South |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Mkc0AQAAMAAJ&dq=Musical%20America&pg=RA1-PA23 |journal=Musical America |volume=22 |pages=33}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1915-04-24 |title=Prudence Neff Wins in Contest; Birmingham Woman Will Represent South in Los Angeles This Summer |pages=5 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104093578/prudence-neff-wins-in-contest/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1914, she gave the first performance of Felix Borowski's ''Piano Concerto in D Minor'', with the [Chicago Symphony Orchestra](/source/Chicago_Symphony_Orchestra).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Piano Concerto in D minor (Borowski, Felix) |url=https://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Concerto_in_D_minor_(Borowski,_Felix) |access-date=2022-06-20 |website=IMSLP: Petrucci Music Library}}</ref><ref>Chicago Symphony Orchestra, [https://cso.org/media/kviflq1h/world-premieres.pdf World Premieres].</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Phemister |first=William |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hdxfDwAAQBAJ&dq=Prudence+Neff+Chicago&pg=PA34 |title=The American Piano Concerto Compendium |date=2018-06-20 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-5381-1234-2 |pages=34 |language=en}}</ref> She also played with the Russian Symphony Orchestra of New York.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mu Phi Epsilon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3PASAAAAIAAJ&dq=Prudence+Neff+Chicago&pg=RA6-PA36-IA4 |title=Year Book |date=1906 |pages=28 |language=en}}</ref> In 1915, she won a Southern regional piano contest, held by the [National Federation of Music Clubs](/source/National_Federation_of_Music_Clubs) (NFMC) in Memphis.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" />  She represented the Birmingham Music Study Club at the NFMC national meeting in Los Angeles in 1915.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Alabama Federation of Music Clubs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g0BLAAAAYAAJ&dq=Prudence+Neff&pg=PA83 |title=Musical Alabama |last2=Thomas |first2=Margaret Flor |date=1925 |publisher=Paragon Press |pages=83 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1915-06-05 |title=Miss Neff is Heard by Enthusiastic Audience |pages=3 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104092645/miss-neff-is-heard-by-enthusiastic/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> "Prudence Neff has within a few years attained a degree of success rarely reached by the young aspirant to musical honors," said ''The Musical Monitor.''<ref name=":1" /> She chaired the program committee of the NFMC in 1917, when its national biennial meeting was held in Birmingham.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1917-04-01 |title=Plans Charming Programs |pages=30 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104094585/plans-charming-programs/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lackey |first=Orlean |date=1950-07-30 |title=Music Club pioneers braved many obstacles |pages=75 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104095150/music-club-pioneers-braved-many/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Also in 1917, she gave concerts on the lyceum circuit with her violinist husband.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1917-11-08 |title=Famous Musicians; Dolejsi and Neff to Play Here on Dec. 1st |pages=1 |work=Moundridge Journal |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104105320/famous-musicians-dolejsi-and-neff-to/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

After her first marriage ended, she moved back to Chicago, and taught piano there at the Glenn Dillard Gunn School of Music.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=July 6, 1922 |title=Chicago to Have a New Music School |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3m6Bq_7vOWMC&dq=Prudence+Neff+Chicago&pg=PA44 |journal=Musical Courier |volume=85 |pages=44}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1928-01-31 |title=Sisters Both in Musical Positions |pages=1 |work=Nebraska Daily News-Press |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104106108/sisters-both-in-musical-positions/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She appeared on vaudeville programs in 1919.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1919-03-23 |title=Interesting Programs at the Theaters Offered This Week |pages=52 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104092860/interesting-programs-at-the-theaters/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> She continued performing through the 1920s and 1930s,<ref>{{Cite news |date=1930-05-15 |title=Rare Musical Treat Coming |pages=5 |work=The Lemont Optimist-News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104107517/rare-musical-treat-coming/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> often as an accompanist;<ref>{{Cite news |date=1935-04-11 |title=Boy Violinist Will Give Program Tonight |pages=12 |work=The Decatur Daily Review |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104105702/boy-violinist-will-give-program-tonight/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1937-08-19 |title=Searsport People See Musical Revue |pages=22 |work=The Bangor Daily News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104105937/searsport-people-see-musical-revue/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> she also made [piano roll recordings](/source/Piano_roll),<ref name=":4" /> and gave concerts for radio.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1924-05-22 |title=Today's Radio Programs |pages=10 |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104105547/todays-radio-programs/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1933 she directed a choir of 30 voices in [Palos Park](/source/Palos_Park%2C_Illinois).<ref>{{Cite news |date=1933-09-22 |title=Sacred Heart Church, Palos 60 Years Old |pages=1 |work=The Star |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104095463/sacred-heart-church-palos-60-years-old/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
In 1915, Neff married a fellow music teacher, Chicago-born Bohemian violinist Robert Dolejsi.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1915-11-21 |title=Dolejsi-Neff |pages=21 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104070352/dolejsi-neff/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1915-10-08 |title=Lyceum Attractions |pages=3 |work=The Lake Geneva Herald |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104108876/lyceum-attractions/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> They sometimes performed together in concerts.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=1917-04-18 |title=Birmingham Hears Mrs. Vann |pages=4 |work=Huntsville Weekly Democrat |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104093657/birmingham-hears-mrs-vann/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1916-02-11 |title=Church's Fund is Increased by Dolejsi Concert |pages=5 |work=The Birmingham News |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104094845/churchs-fund-is-increased-by-dolejsi/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> After they divorced, she married Wade H. Thomas; he died in 1933. She died in 1949, in Chicago, at the age of 62.<ref name=":4">[http://www.pianola.co.nz/public/index.php/web/qrs#Prudence_Neff Prudence Neff], ''Pianola: Saving the Music of Yesterday''</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1949-12-26 |title=Prudence Neff Thomas (funeral listing) |pages=42 |work=Chicago Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104095332/prudence-neff-thomas-funeral-listing/ |access-date=2022-06-20 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Neff, Prudence}}
Category:1887 births
Category:1949 deaths
Category:People from Nebraska City, Nebraska
Category:20th-century American pianists
Category:20th-century American women pianists
Category:American music educators

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Prudence Neff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudence_Neff) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prudence_Neff?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.