Florence Austin

Florence Austin (March 11, 1884 – September 1, 1927) was an American violinist.

Florence Austin
Austin from a 1908 publication
Background information
Born(1884-03-11)March 11, 1884
Galesburg, Michigan
DiedSeptember 1, 1927(1927-09-01) (aged 43)
Fairchild, Wisconsin
GenresClassical
Occupation(s)Concert performer, violin teacher
InstrumentsViolin

Early life and education

Austin was born in Galesburg, Michigan,[1] the daughter of Edward Eldee Austin and Ella J. Austin. Her father was a surgeon and medical school professor; her sister Marion became an organist and composer under the name M. Austin Dunn.[2]

Austin began studying the violin in Minneapolis at age seven, and went to New York at age 14.[3] There, she studied for several years under Henry Schradieck (1846–1918) and Camilla Urso (1840–1902).[3] She concluded her musical studies under Ovide Musin (1854–1929), with whom she went abroad to enter the Royal Conservatory at Liège (Belgium), under his instruction.[3] The following year she received the first prize in the violin contest with the largest number of competitors in the history of that institute.[3] She received the medal from Eugène Ysaÿe, who was one of the judges.[4]

Career

After her graduation from the Liège Conservatory, she made a successful European debut, followed by performances throughout the United States, including as a member of the Women's String Quartet.[5] She made a coast-to-coast tour in 1910 and 1911.[3] In 1914, she played to acclaim at the Maine Music Festival; later in 1914, she gave a recital at New York's Aeolian Hall.[6] She made another Western tour for the 1916-1917 concert season.[7] In 1920, she toured in a trio with a soprano and a pianist, sponsored by the National Society for Broader Education.[8][9] Her sister sometimes accompanied her on piano. In 1922, after the sisters performed together in Minneapolis, a reviewer noted Florence Austin's "large and beautiful tone, artistic phrasing, and ample technic".[10]

She was selected by Ovide Musin to serve at the head of the violin department of the “Musin Virtuoso School” of Newark.[3] Her students gave a recital at Aeolian Hall in 1908.[11]

Personal life

Austin died in 1927 in a railroad accident in Fairchild, Wisconsin, aged 43 years.[12]

References
  1. Baker, Theodore; Remy, Alfred (1919). Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. G. Schirmer. p. 35. OCLC 19940414.
  2. "Dr. Edward Eldee Austin". Musical Courier. 87: 17. August 23, 1923.
  3. Hanaford, Harry Prescott; Hines, Dixie (1914). Who's who in Music and Drama: An Encyclopedia of Biography of Notable Men and Women in Music and the Drama. H.P. Hanaford. p. 29. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. "Florence Austin, Violinist". Musical Courier. 56: 32. January 29, 1908.
  5. "Late Greater New York News". Musical Courier. 56: 26. January 8, 1908.
  6. "Florence Austin's Maine Success". Musical Courier. 69: 36. October 28, 1914.
  7. "Florence Austin". The Violinist. 20: 384. September 1916.
  8. "Florence Austin and Concert Party on Successful Tour". Musical America. 31: 36. March 20, 1920.
  9. "Florence Austin in West". Musical America. 31: 17. April 24, 1920.
  10. "The Thursday Musicale Presents Artists". Musical Courier. 85: 46. December 7, 1922.
  11. "Florence Austin Students' Recital". Musical Courier. 56: 27. May 27, 1908.
  12. "Austin, Florence" in Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians, Eighth Edition, revised by Nicolas Slonimsky (New York: Schirmer Books, 1992), p. 67.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.