The Journey of Olga Samaroff:

In the late 19th century…

a young girl named Lucy Hickenlooper was born in San Antonio, Texas. She was the daughter of Carlos and Jane (Loening) Hickenlooper and grew up in the wealthy Silk Stocking District of Galveston. Lucy was a talented piano player; her parents and grandmother taught her to play. She soon became the family's star pupil and began to play public concerts. In 1894, Lucy and her grandmother traveled to Paris so that she could continue her piano studies. She was so talented that she won a scholarship to the Conservatoire de Paris or Paris Conservatory, a college of music and dance, becoming the first American woman to receive such an honor. After graduating in 1897, Lucy married a Russian civil servant and moved to St. Petersburg. After a few years, she divorced her husband and returned to America to pursue her dream of becoming a concert pianist. In 1905, Lucy changed her name to Olga Samaroff, a more European-sounding name, and began to tour around the world. She was an instant success, playing at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the Met, and Royal Albert Hall. Olga also taught at the Juilliard School of Music and was a commuting faculty member for the Philadelphia Conservatory. She even wrote several books on music, including an autobiography. Today, Olga's legacy lives on through her music and the Schubert Memorial, a competition for American musicians to perform and compete. She was an inspirational figure who showed that hard work and dedication make anything possible. From San Antonio to Galveston, to Paris, and worldwide, Olga Samaroff or Lucy Hickenlooper made her mark in history.