Rebecca Helferich Clarke, born on August 27, 1886, in Harrow, United Kingdom, was a British composer and violist. She began her musical education at age nine, learning the violin under her father's guidance, and later studied at the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. Clarke's compositional career peaked during the interwar period with works such as Sonata for Viola and Piano in 1919 and Trio for Piano in 1921. Her output diminished after her marriage to James Friskin in 1944, and she stopped composing, though she continued making musical arrangements. She passed away on October 13, 1979, in New York. Her work experienced a resurgence of interest beginning in 1976, leading to the formation of the Rebecca Clarke Society in September 2000 to promote her music.
