Emma Ritter-Bondy (1838–1894), also known simply as Emma Ritter, was a pioneering Austrian-Scottish pianist and music educator who secured a historic place in the annals of British higher education. Born in Graz, Austria, she eventually relocated to Scotland, where she was active as both a performer and an instructor. Her career reached its zenith in 1892 when she was appointed as the very first professor of piano at the Glasgow Athenaeum School of Music, an institution that would later evolve into the modern-day Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. With this prestigious appointment, Ritter-Bondy achieved the distinction of becoming the first female professor at any British university. This landmark achievement occurred nearly sixteen years before Edith Morley was appointed as a professor of English literature at the University of Reading in 1908, a milestone often erroneously cited as the first of its kind. Through her dedication to musical pedagogy and her historic appointment in Glasgow, Ritter-Bondy broke significant gender barriers in the academic world, leaving behind a legacy of excellence and opening doors for future generations of female academics and musicians in the United Kingdom.
