BIOGRAPHY
Amanda Maier was raised in Landskrona, Sweden, where she received her early musical education from her father, studying both violin and piano. At the age of sixteen, she began formal studies in composition at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm. In 1872, Maier became the first woman to graduate from the institution. She subsequently continued her compositional studies at the Leipzig Conservatory, where she studied under the prominent composer and conductor Carl Reinecke. During her time in Leipzig, she also pursued violin studies with Engelbert Röntgen, a former student of the renowned violinist Ferdinand David.

Maier established a strong reputation as both a performer and composer early in her career. She received several distinctions for her compositions, including an award for her violin sonata. As her reputation as a composer developed, she also gained recognition as a violinist. For several years, Maier toured and performed throughout Europe before marrying Julius Röntgen, the son of her former violin teacher, in 1880.

Following her marriage, Maier’s professional activities became more limited, reflecting the social and cultural expectations placed on married women during the period. Her public performances largely gave way to smaller musical gatherings held in her home salon in Amsterdam. Despite these limitations, Maier maintained an active musical network, and her home concerts attracted a number of prominent musicians and composers. Among her associates were Johannes Brahms, Edvard Grieg, Clara Schumann, Ethel Smyth, and Elisabeth von Herzogenberg.

Maier’s published compositions include her violin sonata, six short pieces for violin and piano, several works for solo piano, a string quartet, and a one-movement violin concerto. Her unpublished works encompass compositions for piano, string quartet, organ, and solo violin, as well as several piano trios. Unfortunately, a number of her compositions have been lost, leaving only a portion of her complete musical output available today.