Sophia Maria Westenholz

Who was Sophia Maria Westenholz?

Sophia Maria Westenholz, née Fritscher was a German composer, musician, singer and music educator. She was born into a privileged family and spent most of her life in the courts of Schwerin and Ludwigslust, capitals of the Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. She studied music with Konzertmeister J. W. Hertel in Schwerin beginning at age ten and entered the court orchestra at sixteen. The court moved from Schwerin to Ludwigslust, and Sophia married the new Konzertmeister Carl Friedrich Westenholz, appointed in 1767, who was also a composer of sacred works.

When Carl Westenholz died in 1789, Sophia received the title of Kapellmeisterin at Ludwigslust, and continued her career as a singer, teacher and pianist. In this role, she taught music to the Ludwigslust princesses and composed and performed her own works at court. Three of her eight children became notable musicians. She retired from her court position in 1821 with a pension and had a number of her compositions published in her lifetime.