Sophie Drinker

Sophie Lewis Drinker (née Hutchinson; August 24, 1888 – September 6, 1967) was an American author, musician, and musicologist.

Henry Drinker was a successful lawyer, but spent every minute of his spare time playing music, a passionate hobby that was as important to him as his real profession.

[1] The couple had five children together: Sophie, Henry S., Jr., Cecelia, Ernesta, and Pemberton, all of whom had daily music lessons, and the whole family sat down together regularly to sing.

[1] In 1928, the Drinkers built a new house, which contained a large music room where they regularly organized singing evenings, and sometimes they used the premises of the American Musicological Society for their gatherings.

[1] Most well-known were their exclusive singing parties that were invitation only, and involved a dinner prepared by the Drinker household staff with group song and music before and after.

[2] Sophie Drinker's attention lighted on the fact that there was very little quality music for female choirs, and saw that there were few women composers.

[1] Cited for her "service in the cause of Music whereby she had brought together and made available much that, but for her, would have lain forgotten," Drinker was awarded an honorary doctorate from Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts in 1949.

However, Drinker's health was failing at this point, so her daughter Ernesta volunteered in her place and won election to the board.