- Jan 1 Nathaniel Shilkret, American conductor, born in NYC, New York
- Jan 3 Boris Mykolayovich Lyatoshyns'ky, Ukrainian composer and the father of modern Ukrainian music, born in Zhytomyr, Russian Empire (d. 1968)
- Jan 3 Mihail Andricu, composer
- Jan 5 Elizabeth Cotten, American musician, born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (d. 1987)
- Jan 7 Clara Haskil, Romanian pianist (d. 1960)
- Jan 13 Fortunio Bonanova, Palma de Mallorca Spain, opera singer
- Jan 20 Eva Jessye, American singer, actress, songwriter (Hallelujah) and 1st black woman to receive international distinction as a choral conductor, born in Coffeyville, Kansas (d. 1992)
- Jan 27 Claudio Carneyro, composer
- Jan 27 Joseph Rosenstock, conductor (Nippon Phil Orch 1936-41), born in Kraków, Poland
- Jan 27 Harry Ruby [Harry Rubenstein], American composer and screen writer, born NYC, New York