Frida Kern née Seitz was an Austrian

Austrians

Austrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....

 composer. She was born in Vienna

Vienna

Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...

 and grew up in Linz

Linz

Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...

, studying piano with Anna Zappa, and later at the Linz Music Academy with August Göllerich.

She married Max Kern in 1909 and began composing in 1911. In 1923 she entered the Vienna Academy where she studied composition with Franz Schmidt

Franz Schmidt

Franz Schmidt was an Austrian composer, cellist and pianist of Hungarian descent and origin.- Life :Schmidt was born in Pozsony , in the Hungarian part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire . His father was half Hungarian and his mother entirely Hungarian...

 and conducting with Robert Heger

Robert Heger

Robert Heger was a German conductor and composer from Strasbourg, Alsace-Lorraine.He studied at the Conservatory of Strasbourg, under Franz Stockhausen, then in Zurich under Lothar Kempter, and finally in Munich under Max von Schillings. After early conducting engagements in Strasbourg he made his...

. She continued her studies with Eusebius Mandyczewski

Eusebius Mandyczewski

Eusebius Mandyczewski was a musicologist, composer, conductor, and teacher. He was an author of numerous musical works and is highly regarded within Austrian, Romanian and Ukrainian music circles.- Family and friends :...

 and Alexander Wunderer, graduating in 1927. Kern established a women's orchestra which toured Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

 and North Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

, and in 1942 took a teaching position at the music school in Vienna. In 1960 she was honored by the Austrian Republic. She died in Linz.

Works

Selected works include:

• Die vier Geigerlein (Vier kleine Vortragsstucke) (1891–1988) For 4 violins
• Flotenserenade op. 62 (1891–1988) For flute and piano
• Scherzo (1891–1988) For Horn and Piano
• Spanischer Tanz Nr. 1 aus op. 24 (1891–1988) For Bassoon and Piano or Violoncello and Piano
• Vier Stucke fur Blaserquintett op. 25 (1891–1988) for Wind Quintet

Her music has been recorded and issued on CD, including:

• Frida Kern