Richard William Giese (30 April 1924 – 23 February 2010) was a New Zealand

flautist The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

and principal flautist with the

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) is a symphony orchestra based in Wellington, New Zealand. The national orchestra of New Zealand, the NZSO is an autonomous Crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, per the New Zealand Sympho ...

from 1962 to 1986. Giese's ancestors originated from

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. His parents were Carl Albin Giese and Jeannie Quinn Giese, née Yeareance, from

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and

Marya Martin Marya Martin is an American flautist with an active career as a soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Born Mary Martin in New Zealand, Martin studied at the University of Auckland, where she had lessons with Richard Giese, then principal flut ...

. He was previously married to Myra Giese. Giese, who had remained mentally sharp and fiercely independent, was found dead on 8 March 2010, having died of a heart attack around two weeks earlier. The

coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into Manner of death, the manner or cause of death, and to investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...

criticised the retirement home Giese lived in and said that it was "unacceptable that a person may lie deceased in their home for some weeks".

References

* ''A sound of flutes''

New Zealand Listener The ''New Zealand Listener'' is a weekly New Zealand magazine that covers the political, cultural and literary life of New Zealand by featuring a variety of topics, including current events, politics, social issues, health, technology, arts, f ...

, 6 June 1969: p. 57. * ''Richard Giese''

, 17 January 1969 New Zealand flautists Musicians from Wellington 1924 births 2010 deaths New Zealand Symphony Orchestra people {{NewZealand-musician-stub