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

Early life and education

Austin was born in

Galesburg, Michigan Galesburg is a city in Kalamazoo County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,009 at the 2010 census. Galesburg is located along the north side of the Kalamazoo River . The city is situated on M-96 and is just north of I-94 (wi ...

, 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. Austin began studying the violin in

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

at age seven, and went to New York at age 14. There, she studied for several years under

Henry Schradieck Henry Schradieck (29 April 1846 – 25 May 1918) was a German violinist, music pedagogue and composer. He was one of the foremost violin teachers of his day. He wrote a series of etude books for the violin which are still in common use tod ...

(1846–1918) and

Camilla Urso Camilla Urso (13 June 1840Pierre 1900p. 862 Other sources give her year of birth as 1842. – 20 January 1902) was a French-born child prodigy violinist, who became an American musician, "recognized as one of the finest violinists of the latter h ...

(1840–1902). She concluded her musical studies under

Ovide Musin Ovide Musin (1854–1929) was a Belgian violinist and composer. Life Musin was born in Nandrin Nandrin () is a municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Liège, Belgium. On January 1, 2006, Nandrin had a total population of 5,53 ...

(1854–1929), with whom she went abroad to enter the Royal Conservatory at

Liège Liège ( , , ; wa, Lîdje ; nl, Luik ; german: Lüttich ) is a major city and municipality of Wallonia and the capital of the Belgian province of Liège. The city is situated in the valley of the Meuse, in the east of Belgium, not far from b ...

(Belgium), under his instruction. The following year she received the first prize in the violin contest with the largest number of competitors in the history of that institute. She received the medal from

Eugène Ysaÿe Eugène-Auguste Ysaÿe (; 16 July 185812 May 1931) was a Belgian virtuoso violinist, composer, and conductor. He was regarded as "The King of the Violin", or, as Nathan Milstein put it, the "tsar". Legend of the Ysaÿe violin Eugène Ysaÿe ...

, who was one of the judges.

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. She made a coast-to-coast tour in 1910 and 1911. In 1914, she played to acclaim at the Maine Music Festival; later in 1914, she gave a recital at New York's Aeolian Hall. She made another Western tour for the 1916-1917 concert season. In 1920, she toured in a trio with a soprano and a pianist, sponsored by the National Society for Broader Education. 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". She was selected by Ovide Musin to serve at the head of the violin department of the “Musin Virtuoso School” of Newark. Her students gave a recital at Aeolian Hall in 1908.

Personal life

Austin died in 1927 in a railroad accident in

Fairchild, Wisconsin Fairchild is a village in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 550 at the 2010 census. The village is located within the Town of Fairchild. History The Fairchild post office has been operating since 1870. The village ...

, aged 43 years."Austin, Florence" in ''Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians'', Eighth Edition, revised by Nicolas Slonimsky (New York: Schirmer Books, 1992), p. 67.

References

External links

* Beth Abelson Macleod,
Women Performing Music: The Emergence of American Women as Classical Instrumentalists and Conductors
' (McFarland 2000). {{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, Florence American violinists American women violinists 1884 births 1927 deaths Royal Conservatory of Liège alumni People from Kalamazoo County, Michigan Women violinists Railway accident deaths in the United States