A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/O'Leary, Arthur
O'LEARY, Arthur, was born in 1834 near Killarney in the south of Ireland. He received his early instruction in music at home. When between 7 and 8 years old, his pianoforte playing attracted the attention of Mr. Wyndham Goold, through whose instrumentality he was sent to the Leipzig Conservatorium in the year 1847. At Leipzig he studied the piano with Moscheles and Plaidy, counterpoint with Hauptmann, and composition with Julius Rietz. He lived in the house of Herr Preusser, where he became acquainted with Mendelssohn, Robert and Clara Schumann, and many other musical celebrities. After a five years' stay at Leipzig, Mr. O'Leary returned to London and entered at the Royal Academy of Music, studying under Cipriani Potter and Sterndale Bennett. In 1856 Lord Westmoreland appointed him Professor at the Academy, and on the opening of the National Training School for Music, he was appointed to that institution. Mr. O'Leary's compositions include songs, dance-music, transcriptions and original pieces for the pianoforte, etc. He has also edited Bach's Christmas Oratorio, Bennett's Pianoforte works, and Masses by Hummel, Sechter, and Schubert.
His wife, Rosetta, is the daughter of Mr. W. S. Vinning, and was married to Mr. O'Leary in 1860. She was elected King's Scholar at the Academy in 1851, and is known as the composer of several successful songs.