Lois Wann

Lois Wann (30 January 1912, Monticello, Minnesota — 23 February 1999, Bronxville, New York) was an American oboist and distinguished pedagogue, one of the first female musicians to hold principal positions at major US orchestras. Wann taught at the Juilliard School in New York between 1936 and her retirement in 1992. She began playing piano at six and later self-taught on oboe; after graduating from high school, Lois Wann studied both instruments in Los Angeles. In 1933, she relocated to New York and attended the Juilliard School, graduating in 1936. In pre-war America, major orchestras still barred female instrumentalists from entering; thus, Wann began her career in a few all-women ensembles, such as the Orchestrette Classique and Antonia Brico's New York Women's Symphony Orchestra. In the mid-1930s, Lois got her first position with the San Diego Symphony. In subsequent years, she served as the principal oboist with The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, New York City Ballet Orchestra, Marlboro Festival Orchestra, and Chautauqua Symphony. Lois Wann regularly participated in the Aspen Music Festival between 1951 and 1957 and collaborated with many prominent chamber ensembles, including Busch Chamber Players, Budapest String Quartet, Juilliard String Quartet, and The Cantata Singers conducted by Alfred Mann. While primarily associated with early music repertoire, Lois Wann championed many contemporary works. In 1947, she premiered Alberto Ginastera's Duo for flute and oboe with Carleton Sprague Smith. A few composers commissioned exclusive compositions for Wann, including Darius Milhaud with his Sonatina for Oboe and Piano (1954) and Sam Morgenstern's five-movement Combinations for oboe & strings. She accompanied composer Mieczyslaw Kolinski in the recordings of in 1959. Besides teaching at her alma mater, Juilliard, for over 55 years, Lois Wann held faculty positions at The Mannes College Of Music (1946–76), Vassar College, Henry Street Settlement, and other institutions.