Theodore Samuel Holland, OBE (25 April 1878 – 29 October 1947), was a British composer and academic. Born in Wimbledon, Holland attended Westminster School and then the Royal College of Music, where his composition teacher was Frederick Corder. A further period of study followed at the Musikhochschule in Berlin under Joseph Joachim.[1]
War service (which earned him an OBE)[2] interrupted his career in theatre music and afflicted him with shell-shock for the rest of his life.[3] He was appointed Professor of Harmony and Counterpoint at the Royal Academy of Music in 1927, a post he held until he died.[4] His address in the 1930s was 10, Eldon Road, London W8.[5]
Among his students were the composer John Joubert, and also Iris du Pré, mother of cellist Jacqueline du Pré.[6] Holland's wife Isména, godmother to du Pré, bought the Davydov Cello in 1964 for $90,000 and presented it to her.[7] Much younger than her husband, Isména survived him by nearly 60 years. She died in October 2004, aged 101.[8]