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.[5] She died at her home in Cambridge in 1946 at the age of 71, survived by two of her three sons.[5]

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.[5] In 1898 she became a soloist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and in later years for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.[5] She also played at diplomatic receptions in London as well as gatherings hosted by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.[5] Her performance at the Salle Erard in London in June 1900 was noted as being "immensely intelligent".[6] In 1910, the Olive Mead Quartet played a benefit for the Graduate Nurses Association at the Columbia Theater in Washington, D.C.[7]

References

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