Davis, Agnes, 1905-1967

Agnes Davis was a soprano and professor of voice in the Indiana University School of Music. Her career highlights include winning the Atwater Kent singing competition in 1927 and touring with the USO from 1943-1945.

Agnes Davis, the daughter of Colonel W.A. Davis and Lulu Goodall Davis, was born on May 11, 1905 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Through hard work and dedication Agnes Davis became a soprano singer, and her career took her in a variety of directions both professionally and geographically. Included among her notable accomplishments were her travels with Columbia Concerts, U.S.O. tours across several continents, and her teaching position in the Indiana University School of Music.

Davis studied music in depth and enjoyed a very full singing career prior to coming to I.U. She began the development of her voice at the Colorado State Teacher’s College in Greeley, Colorado. Her study of music continued at the Lamont School of Music in Denver, Colorado. Later, Davis studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the institute she trained under the celebrated teacher and singer Emilio de Gogorza.

Davis performed in many operas, including Lakme, Gianni Schiechi, Strauss' Rosenkavalier, Verdi's Falstaff, Wagner's Parsifal, and Wagner’s Lohengrin. In particular, Lohengrin is notable for two reasons. First, in 1937 Davis made her debut as Elsa in that opera. In addition, she was only the second American born singer to perform the role of Elsa at the Metropolitan Opera. In the course of her career she also sang in concerts, oratorios, and performances requiring an orchestra. The orchestras she sang with were the Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the New York Philharmonic-Symphony. During Davis’ career she sang under the direction of many conductors, such as Fritz Reiner, Leopold Stokowski, Eugene Ormandy and Otto Klemperer.

Davis later toured with Columbia Concerts from 1934 1949 and taught at the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music from 1949 1950. Two events stand out in Davis' singing career. Davis won first place in the 1927 Atwater Kent singing competition out of a field of 50,000 competitors. The other event was the three years she spent touring with the U.S.O. from 1943 1945.

Davis taught voice in the I.U. School of Music from 1950 until her death in 1967. During her tenure at I.U. Davis took two sabbaticals to research vocal teaching methods in Europe and Australia. In 1963 she was promoted to the rank of professor. She became a National Honorary Member of Sigma Alpha Iota and a member of Pi Kappa Lambda, both musical sororities. She was also elected to Gamma Phi Beta.

Even with all her responsibilities and memberships at I.U., she played important roles outside the university. She had memberships in the American Association of University Professors and St. Margaret’s Guild of Trinity Episcopal Church, Bloomington, Indiana. The years 1962-1963 were especially eventful for Davis. During that period she became a Vice-President of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. When the National Federation of Music Clubs held a National Contest in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Davis served as a judge. Finally, in 1963 she received the commission of "Kentucky Colonel" from Governor Bert Combs.

Davis endured both bad and good times in her private life. During her singing career, Davis married a fellow singer, the baritone Benjamin DeLoache. This marriage, which began in 1934, ended in divorce in 1946. However, in 1957 Davis married Herbert James Richardson, to whom she remained married until her death on October 10, 1967.

In the press release announcing her death, Wilfred C. Bain, Dean of the I.U. School of Music, stated: "Miss Davis was a stellar member of the voice faculty and made a major contribution to the reputation and success of vocalism at this institution. She will be remembered as a delightful, warm-hearted human being as well as a singing artist and superb teacher." In 1968, the Agnes Davis Richardson Memorial Scholarship was established in her honor, and is awarded annually to voice students in the School of Music.