VAMOS, Grace Becker

Grace Becker Vamos was an American cellist, composer, and educator. She grew up in Berkeley, California. Her mother played piano, her father played violin, and they hosted frequent chamber music sessions during her childhood. The family had an unused cello, which she learned how to play.

Vamos studied pedagogy at the Paris Conservatory with Andre Hekking, then received a Damrosch scholarship to remain in France and study at the Fontainebleau School of Music. She returned to California and taught cello and composition at Mills College, where she also studied composition with Domenico Brescia. In 1937, Vamos traveled to Hungary to study composition with Zoltan Kodaly.

Vamos joined a string quartet in Mexico City, where her dance composition Dying Eagle was performed in the Opera House. Her choral composition "Praise Ye the Lord" was performed by the Bach Choral Society of Mexico City. Vamos returned to San Francisco where the Oakland Symphony performed her piano concerto in the premiere performance of a piano concerto by a female composer in the state of California.

She formed the Trio Moderne with flutist Christine Howells Pfund and harpist Marie Hughes Marguarrie, which performed frequently, often playing arrangements by Vamos.

Vamos received the Sigma Alpha Iota Award for her Suite for Cello and Piano, which Pablo Casals praised in a letter to her in 1960, saying "I have had much pleasure in reading your composition which shows real talent."She received the Harp Association Award for Legends of the Redwood.