Adella Prentiss Hughes

Who was Adella Prentiss Hughes?

Adella Prentiss Hughes was a pianist and impresario best known as the main organiser of Cleveland Orchestra.

She was born in Cleveland, Ohio the third child of Loren Prentiss and Ellen Rebecca Rouse. She earned a degree in music at Vassar College in 1890, and went to Europe for further study the following year. Adella played piano in early-1890s as soloist and accompanist. Then she became more interested in promoting music. She held Cleveland Grand orchestras from 1904 till 1912 when this orchestra disbanded. Then in 1918 Hughes the new Cleveland Orchestra and invited Nikolai Sokoloff to head it. She served as a manager of this orchestra for 15 years, and as administrator of the Musical Arts Association for thirty years. She also worked to include children's music education in Cleveland schools.

She married Felix Hughes in 1904; they divorced in 1923. Hughes died on 23 August 1950 in Cleveland, Ohio.