274:, which ultimately lasted for 35 years. She is credited with teaching in the French tradition of flute playing to generations of American flutists while at Stanford and positions in New York. Her tone was characterized as, "full and musical phrasing of the French School with her own vigorous rhythmic interpretation and an individual use of tone color." Blaisdell also held summer masterclasses, where she reached even more aspiring flutists.
102:) requesting an audition. The secretary at the Institute had recorded her name as "Francis" rather than Frances, and thus the Institute was expecting a male flutist to audition. At the time, the Institute did not accept female wind instrument players because the institution would "'lose its investment.'" Nonetheless, Blaisdell was still able to play the audition for Barrère, and performed the
308:. Together, they formed the Blaisdell Woodwind Quintet (with the aforementioned members from the Philharmonic) and the Blaisdell Trio. The couple have two children together, son John and daughter Alexandra Hawley, also a flutist and lecturer at Stanford University. Her daughter studied with Jean-Pierre Rampal.
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Blaisdell realized early on that she could not support herself with solely an orchestral career, so she built a multifaceted career as a soloist, chamber musician and educator in addition to holding several orchestral positions. In the 1930s she was first flute of the
National Orchestral Association,
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After being refused an audition for assistant principal of the New York
Philharmonic in 1937 because of her sex, she became the first female wind player to perform with the Philharmonic in 1962, on a piece that required additional flutes. In 1941, she replaced Barrère in the Barrère Trio after her
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and flute at age 5 with her father, who was in the lumber business but loved playing the flute. Later, her father wrote to Ernest Wagner, then with the New York
Philharmonic, asking him to teach "my Jim" flute lessons. He initially refused upon finding out she was actually a female, but was later
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Williams, Barbara
Highton (Fall 2005). "Frances Blaisdell: living link to Georges Barrere: at a time when professional women flutists were rare and their opportunities even rarer, Frances Blaisdell flourished--as a performer, musician, and student of Georges Barrere".
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Toff, Nancy (Winter 2010). "Remembering
Frances Blaisdell: (1912-2009): former students recall memories of their teacher, the legendary flutist who died March 11, 2009, and was honored at a special session at the 37th annual NFA convention in New York".
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made a surprise appearance to introduce her. In 2006, she received the Lloyd W. Dinkelspiel Award for
Excellence in Undergraduate Education from Stanford University. She continued to teach until two months before her death on March 11, 2009, in
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offered her admission on the spot, even if it required a full scholarship. She won the concerto competition at
Juilliard while studying there. During the summer of 1932, she spent the summer studying with
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Blaisdell is heard on the 1960 Golden Crest LP No. 4020 recording, "The
Flutist's Showcase: The Artley Flute Quintet," along with Murray Panitz, Frederick Wilkins, Harry Moskevitz, and James Pellerite.
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wrote in a 1992 article that "Every woman flute player in every major
American orchestra, every little girl who plays the flute in a school band, has Frances Blaisdell to thank. She was the first."
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former teacher suffered a stroke, cementing her place in the flute tradition as his protege. Blaisdell also performed with regional, vaudeville and commercial ensembles, including appearances at
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She also served on the executive board of the
National Flute Association, who named her an honorary member in 1992 and awarded her their Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. The
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in France. The following December, she was asked at the last minute to substitute for a New York Philharmonic children's concert, where she played
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She met and married Alexander Williams in 1937. He was the first clarinetist of the New York Philharmonic and principal clarinet of the
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549:, May 13, 1954. Accessed March 13, 2018. "Frances Blaisdell, graduate of Red Bank High School, will return to her alma mater."
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and the New Friends of Music. In addition, she was the first woman to appear as a soloist and wind player in concert with the
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Woodward, Martha. "Blaisdell, Frances." Grove Music Online. 2013-02-11. Oxford University Press. Date of access 28 Mar. 2018.
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290:. She was 97. Scholarships have been established in her name at Stanford University and the National Flute Association.
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761:"Recorded in Response to Popular Demand" (Artley, Inc. advertisement), The Instrumentalist 14:6 (February 1960), 62.
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held an 80th birthday celebration for Blaisdell in 1992, where internationally renowned flutist and pedagogue
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K. 314 and became the first female soloist with the Philharmonic. She would later study with American flutist
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New Opera Company, New York City Ballet and the New Friends of Music. In 1935, she appeared as a soloist at
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1994 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Frances Blaidsdell bio by the National Flute Association
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Interview with Frances Blaisdell in the April 2005 New York Flute Club newsletter, pages 4-11
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Blaisdell was born in Tennessee on January 5, 1912, and was raised on a farm in
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Flute Talk editors (March 2017). "Frances Blaisdell: Leading the Way".
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National Flute Association (Spring 2012). "Happy birthday, NFA!".
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where she taught for over 35 years. Blaisdell's teachers included
38:. In addition to playing, she also held teaching positions at the
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430:"Stanford's trailblazing flutist, Frances Blaisdell, dies at 97"
394:"Frances Blaisdell, 'Girl Flutist' Who Opened Doors, Dies at 97"
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Flutists' family tree: in search of the American Flute School
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243:. The Blaisdell Quintet was composed of Blaisdell on flute,
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Flutist Quarterly, Spring 1986, Frances Blaidsdell on cover
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22:(January 5, 1912 – March 11, 2009) was an American
457:. Ohio State University (PhD Dissertation). p. 146.
521:"Frances Blaisdell: Our Living Link to George Barrere"
645:"Frances Blaisdell (1912-2009) - New York Flute Club"
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While in New York she held teaching positions at the
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98:at the Institute of Music Art (what is now the
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803:American women flautists
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214:Mannes School of Music
186:Ruth Crawford Seeger's
130:Philadelphia Orchestra
52:Mannes School of Music
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138:Radio City Music Hall
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312:Commercial Recording
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399:The New York Times
351:2018-03-14 at the
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237:Ernst Victor Wolff
720:Flutist Quarterly
702:Flutist Quarterly
680:www.nfaonline.org
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222:Bach Circle
107:Concertino.
772:Categories
685:2018-03-13
654:2018-03-13
584:Flute Talk
502:2018-03-13
439:2018-03-13
364:References
268:California
231:, harpist
405:March 31,
229:Lily Pons
168:, and on
142:Rockettes
74:Biography
590:(7): 28.
349:Archived
336:Archived
253:clarinet
162:Broadway
119:Mozart's
24:flautist
530:: 4–11.
257:bassoon
226:soprano
110:Barrère
88:piccolo
212:, and
54:, and
30:, the
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524:(PDF)
189:Suite
172:with
160:, on
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608:help
407:2009
261:horn
249:oboe
191:and
180:and
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182:NBC
178:CBS
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