Lois Wann

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Lois Wann in 1940

Lois Wann (1912 – February 23, 1999) was an American

oboist who was one of the well-known American oboists of the 20th century.[1] She performed as a soloist in chamber music and concertos, specializing in early music but also playing contemporary works. Several contemporary composers wrote pieces for her, including Darius Milhaud. Reviews of Wann's concerts often highlighted her technique and musicianship. As an orchestral musician, she was an early example both of a woman who played the oboe in a professional American orchestra[2] and of a woman principal in a professional orchestra.[3] She spent much of her career in New York, where she was a noted teacher of the oboe, at the Juilliard School
and elsewhere.

Early life and education

Wann was born in 1912 in Monticello, Minnesota. The family moved to San Diego, where she was raised by her mother after her father's death. Wann learned the piano from the age of six, and later taught herself the oboe.[3][4] After leaving school, she studied both instruments in Los Angeles for two years.[4] In 1933, she moved to New York, where she attended the Juilliard School, graduating in 1936.[3][4] She also attained higher degrees from Juilliard.[4]

Career

Before the Second World War in America, women instrumental players were discriminated against and were rarely able to play in mainstream orchestras.

Handel's Oboe Concerto in G minor.[7]

In the mid-1930s, Wann gained a position at the San Diego Symphony, becoming an early example of a woman principal in a professional orchestra.[2][3] During a long performing career, she was also principal oboist of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra,[2][3][4] New York City Ballet Orchestra,[3] Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra and Les Concerts Symphoniques of Montreal, Canada.[4] She also played in orchestras associated with the Aspen Music Festival (1951–57)[3][4] and the Marlboro Music Festival.[3] In 1953, she was described as among "New York's best freelancers", after performing in Handel's Ode for St Cecilia's Day with the Cantata Singers, conducted by Alfred Mann.[8] In later life, she continued to play under a female conductor in the West Side Concert Series organized by Frédérique Petrides, the conductor of the Orchestrette Classique.[4]

As a chamber musician, Wann performed with the Budapest and Juilliard string quartets,[3][4] and also as a soloist with the New Friends of Music Chamber Orchestra, Bach Circle, Adolf Busch Chamber Players[4] and the Four Seasons Ensemble.[9] She was associated with performing early music,[10] but also performed contemporary works. She premiered Alberto Ginastera's Duo for flute and oboe with Carleton Sprague Smith in 1947.[11][12] Darius Milhaud wrote his Sonatina for Oboe and Piano for her, and she gave its first performance in 1954[13] or 1955.[3][4] Another work composed for her was Sam Morgenstern's five-movement Combinations for oboe and strings.[13] Her recordings include Mieczyslaw Kolinski's Dahomey Suite for Oboe and Piano, with the composer.[14]

Wann was an oboe teacher in New York, teaching at the Juilliard School (1936–92),

Manhattanville College, Henry Street Settlement and the United Nations International School.[3] Notable pupils include the oboist Ronald Roseman (1933–2000).[15]

Reception

Several of Wann's solo and chamber performances were reviewed in the

Mozart quartet as "skillful" with "grace and style".[19] A later review by this reviewer of a recital including contemporary works comments that her playing, while always "careful and musical" was "seldom commanding enough to engage the attention in the manner of a major soloist".[13]

Personal life

In 1942 she married Aaron Bodenhorn, a cellist; they had two daughters.[3][4][13] Wann died on February 23, 1999, in Bronxville, New York.[3]

References

  1. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.40450
  2. ^
    doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2257105
  3. ^
    New York Times
    , B8
  4. ^
    ISBN 9781557282187 Project Muse
  5. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2252574
  6. ^ Frédérique Petrides, ed. (15 October 1937). Women in Music III (3); reproduced in Groh 1994
  7. ^ Frédérique Petrides, ed. (December 1937). Women in Music III (4); reproduced in Groh 1994
  8. ISBN 9780253016508 Project Muse
  9. ^ Burgess 2015, p. 87
  10. ^ Burgess 2015, p. 93
  11. JSTOR 4487621
  12. JSTOR 779967
  13. ^
    New York Times
    , p. 13
  14. JSTOR 538516
  15. doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.A2292926
  16. New York Times
    , 24
  17. New York Times
    , p. 23
  18. New York Times
    , p. 29
  19. New York Times
    , p. 31
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