Rolande Maxwell Young Schrade (September 13, 1927 – January 19, 2015)[1] was born in Washington, D.C.[2] She was an American composer, pianist, teacher, and the matriarch of a musical family with five children.
In 1949, she married Robert Warren Schrade, an internationally-known concert pianist and faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music.
[3] Young made her debut as a pianist at Town Hall in New York in 1953, performing works of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Grieg, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Krenek, Debussy, and her compositions.
The name "Sevenars" was derived from "seven Rs": Robert, Rolande, and their five children Robelyn, Rhonda Lee, Rolisa, Randolph (died 2022), and Rorianne, who all performed on the series at various times.
She also wrote new words and revised the music of the Carrie Jacobs Bond songs for Boston Music Co.[citation needed] In addition, she composed dozens of educational songs to inspire children throughout her decades of teaching in the New York independent school system.