Famous from an early age as a child prodigy, Philippa Duke Schuyler (1931-1967) had written numerous compositions and toured on five continents by the time she was twenty-three. She travelled extensively in Africa, often studying the local music traditions. Aspects of this potentially appear in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The work was influenced by T.E. Lawrence's similarly-titled memoir. Dr. Masterson received a B.A. in physics and a Performer's Certificate from DePauw University, and a M.M. and D.M.A. in piano performance from the University of Connecticut. Her recent research involves the work of twentieth-century American women composers, and her doctoral research focused on the use of sonata form in mid-twentieth-century American piano sonatas.