Olive Mead

Olive Mead (1874-1946) was an American classical violinist.[1] She was a successful soloist and chamber player, performing with Amy Beach, among many others.[2] She formed her own well-regarded string-quartet,[3] the Olive Mead Quartet (1903-1917), which featured only women. Its members were Vera Fonaroff, Gladys North, and Lillian Littlehales.[2] She was a student of Julius Eichberg and Franz Kneisel.

Personal history

She was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and began studying the violin at the age of 7.[4] She began studies with Eichberg and Kneisel in 1888 and made her debut at Steinert Hall in Boston at the age of 20.[5] She married New York realty professional Merrill Holden Green, who died in 1918.[6] She died at her home in Cambridge in 1946 at the age of 71, survived by two of her three sons.[7]

Professional history

At the age of 25, she made a European tour with Franz Kneisel and his wife, during which she had the opportunity to meet Johannes Brahms.[8] In 1898 she became a soloist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and in later years for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.[9] She also played at diplomatic receptions in London as well as gatherings hosted by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.[10] Her performance at the Salle Erard in London in June 1900 was noted as being "immensely intelligent".[11] In 1910, the Olive Mead Quartet played a benefit for the Graduate Nurses Association at the Columbia Theater in Washington, D.C.[12]

References
  1. Pendle, Karin (2001). Women & Music: A History. Indiana University Press. p. 207. ISBN 0253338190.
  2. Ammer, Christine (2016-07-26). Unsung: A History of Women in American Music. BookBaby. ISBN 9781483577005.
  3. "THE OLIVE MEAD QUARTET.; Opening of the Young Ladles' Series, of Chamber Concerts". The New York Times. 1910-11-24. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
  4. "MRS. OLIVE MEAD GREEN: Founder of Violin Quartet of Women in 1904 Dies at 71". The New York Times (21). 1 March 1946.
  5. "MRS. OLIVE MEAD GREEN: Founder of Violin Quartet of Women in 1904 Dies at 71". The New York Times (21). 1 March 1946.
  6. "MRS. OLIVE MEAD GREEN: Founder of Violin Quartet of Women in 1904 Dies at 71". The New York Times (21). 1 March 1946.
  7. "MRS. OLIVE MEAD GREEN: Founder of Violin Quartet of Women in 1904 Dies at 71". The New York Times (21). 1 March 1946.
  8. "MRS. OLIVE MEAD GREEN: Founder of Violin Quartet of Women in 1904 Dies at 71". The New York Times (21). 1 March 1946.
  9. "MRS. OLIVE MEAD GREEN: Founder of Violin Quartet of Women in 1904 Dies at 71". The New York Times (21). 1 March 1946.
  10. "MRS. OLIVE MEAD GREEN: Founder of Violin Quartet of Women in 1904 Dies at 71". The New York Times (21). 1 March 1946.
  11. "Music in London". Musical Standard (338). 23 June 1900.
  12. "GRADUATE NURSES BENEFIT.: Olive Mead Quartet Heard in Recital at Columbia Theater". The Washington Post. 3 Dec 1910.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.