Mary Mesquita Dahlmer

Mary Mesquita Dahlmer (1897 – 14 October 1993) was the first carillon performer to hold a position in the United States, and the first woman carillonneur in North America.[1]

Mary Mesquita Dahlmer
Born1897
Gloucester, Massachusetts
DiedOctober 14, 1993 (aged 95–96)
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Instrumentscarillon
Years active1922–1945

Life and career

As a member of the Church of Our Lady of Good Voyage in Gloucester, Massachusetts she helped raise funds to build the church's 23-bell Taylor carillon by selling flowers. The carillon was inaugurated in July 1922 by church organist George B. Stevens. When he was unavailable several months later to play for a wedding, Dahlmer was asked based on her abilities as a pianist to fill in for him.[2] She was subsequently appointed carillonneur, and studied with Anton Brees and Kamiel Lefevere. She was often asked to demonstrate the carillon for visitors, and in the process performed for John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Mrs. Hugh Bancroft. She also had a career at the Frank E. Davis Fish Company. Dahlmer retired from her carillon post in 1945, after 25 years.[3]

In 1987, Dahlmer was elected an Honorary Member of the Guild of Carillonneurs in North America.

References
  1. James B. Slater. "Mary Mesquita Dahlmer", in: Bulletin of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, vol. 52, 2003, 15.
  2. Martin A. Gilman. "Our Lady of Good Voyage Church Carillon, Gloucester, 1922-1972", in: Bulletin of The Guild of Carillonneurs in North America, vol. 23, November 1972, 37-43.
  3. Mary Mesquita Dahlmer. "Dahlmer, Mary", in: Toward an oral history of Cape Ann, August 1978, part 3.


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