National Association of Teachers of Singing
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
Kathryn Harvey
May 14, 1909 – April 2, 2008
A regaled soprano at European Opera houses and treasured mentor of Bay Area singers, Kathryn Harvey has died, just short of her 99th birthday.
Having devoted herself to music since childhood in Oconto, Wisconsin, Lyla Kathryn Harvey earned a degree from Northwestern University in composition, conducting, and voice, and conducted the Chicago Symphony in a performance of her composition. Launching her singing career in New York City, she got important exposure at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and sang under such notables as Toscanini and Bruno Walter.
With her lyric, coloratura versatility and dramatic flair, Kathryn mastered 100 operatic roles, singing throughout northern Europe for some 30 years. Primary tenures were at Zurich, Frankfort, Nurnberg, and Munich, also Paris and Covent Garden, where she sang under Kleiber and Klemperer. She also performed regularly in oratorio and lieder, taught at the State Conservatory in Nurnberg, recorded with Zurich Radio, and appeared in two films: a biopic of Franz Liszt and an Abbott and Costello comedy.
Returning to the U.S. for an extensive teaching career, Kathryn taught at the University of Iowa, San Francisco State, and Dominican (San Rafael) Universities, and Fairbanks Summer Festivals for the University of Alaska. Always, she imparted her gifts with passion, generosity, and an indomitable spirit.
Kathryn is survived by her niece Ann Harvey of Oconto, Wisconsin; grand nephew Jack Harvey of Newark, New Jersey, and his life partner, Al Burgermeister (both formerly of San Francisco); and other great and grand nieces and nephews.
Among many long-standing friendships, Kathryn especially cherished John Frykman and Cheryl Arnold, to whom she entrusted her needs for increasing care in recent years. Others who loved her with great generosity include Bob Hirsch, Jim and Diane Hannum, and Carmen Zeni. Devoted former students Aimee Puentes and Devon Hardwick stayed at her bedside faithfully, for her last ten days. Thanks also for the good care from Aegis Corte Madera, Arcadia, Kaiser, and Hospice of Marin.
A celebration of Kathryn Harvey will be held on Saturday, April 26, 5:00 p.m. For more information, call (415) 387-1305. Memorial gifts may be sent to San Francisco State University, Dept. of Music, 1600 Holloway Ave., SF, 94132; and the SF Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, c/o Audrey Howitt, 2840 Adams St., Alameda, CA 94501.
The chapter has been notified by Miss Harvey Trust that SFBACNATS has received an unrestricted grant. We are honored and humbled by her generosity in passing.
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Wuerthner, Page Swift
Music was her life: born March 10, 1930 in Long Beach, died February 29, 2008 in Los Altos Hills. Attended Mills College, transferred to U.C. Berkeley, pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma, graduated 1951 with a music major degree. Her first professional experiences were the Robert Shaw Chorale, UCLA and Los Angeles City College opera workshops led by Jan Popper and Hugo Strelitzer where she sang title roles. She studied under Lotte Lehmann in Santa Barbara at the Music Academy of the West and with Fritz Zweig and his wife Tillie DeGarmo Zweig. A Fulbright Scholarship allowed her to live in Germany where she sang lead roles in Munich, Heidelberg, Oberhausen and Lucerne and Basel, Switzerland. On her return to the United States she sang at various venues in New York City and on cruise ships before enrolling at Indiana University School of Music where she graduated with a masters in music in 1974. Eileen Farrell was her mentor. She enjoyed frequent visits with her sister's family in Virginia. She taught voice at Oberlin College and the University of Wisconsin. Indiana University awarded her a Doctorate of Music Performance with High Distinction. Vocal performance was her love and more rewarding than academia. She moved to Palo Alto to be near aging parents. Joined the San Francisco Symphony Chorus in 1984 and subsequently accepted a tenured mezzo-soprano position with the San Francisco Opera's Regular Chorus. Her stage presence, features and acting skills stood out in her 1,000 SF Opera Chorus performances over 19 years. She maintained an active private voice studio for young women. She retired from the Opera December, 2004. She married Ted W. Wuerthner in 1992. She leaves behind her husband; sister, Sarah Hodgkin of Virginia, five nieces, a nephew, and a brother Daniel Swift of Cupertino.
Published in the San Francisco Chronicle on 3/9/2008.
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May 14, 1909 – April 2, 2008
A regaled soprano at European Opera houses and treasured mentor of Bay Area singers, Kathryn Harvey has died, just short of her 99th birthday.
Having devoted herself to music since childhood in Oconto, Wisconsin, Lyla Kathryn Harvey earned a degree from Northwestern University in composition, conducting, and voice, and conducted the Chicago Symphony in a performance of her composition. Launching her singing career in New York City, she got important exposure at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and sang under such notables as Toscanini and Bruno Walter.
With her lyric, coloratura versatility and dramatic flair, Kathryn mastered 100 operatic roles, singing throughout northern Europe for some 30 years. Primary tenures were at Zurich, Frankfort, Nurnberg, and Munich, also Paris and Covent Garden, where she sang under Kleiber and Klemperer. She also performed regularly in oratorio and lieder, taught at the State Conservatory in Nurnberg, recorded with Zurich Radio, and appeared in two films: a biopic of Franz Liszt and an Abbott and Costello comedy.
Returning to the U.S. for an extensive teaching career, Kathryn taught at the University of Iowa, San Francisco State, and Dominican (San Rafael) Universities, and Fairbanks Summer Festivals for the University of Alaska. Always, she imparted her gifts with passion, generosity, and an indomitable spirit.
Kathryn is survived by her niece Ann Harvey of Oconto, Wisconsin; grand nephew Jack Harvey of Newark, New Jersey, and his life partner, Al Burgermeister (both formerly of San Francisco); and other great and grand nieces and nephews.
Among many long-standing friendships, Kathryn especially cherished John Frykman and Cheryl Arnold, to whom she entrusted her needs for increasing care in recent years. Others who loved her with great generosity include Bob Hirsch, Jim and Diane Hannum, and Carmen Zeni. Devoted former students Aimee Puentes and Devon Hardwick stayed at her bedside faithfully, for her last ten days. Thanks also for the good care from Aegis Corte Madera, Arcadia, Kaiser, and Hospice of Marin.
A celebration of Kathryn Harvey will be held on Saturday, April 26, 5:00 p.m. For more information, call (415) 387-1305. Memorial gifts may be sent to San Francisco State University, Dept. of Music, 1600 Holloway Ave., SF, 94132; and the SF Bay Area Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, c/o Audrey Howitt, 2840 Adams St., Alameda, CA 94501.
The chapter has been notified by Miss Harvey Trust that SFBACNATS has received an unrestricted grant. We are honored and humbled by her generosity in passing.
Top
Wuerthner, Page Swift
Music was her life: born March 10, 1930 in Long Beach, died February 29, 2008 in Los Altos Hills. Attended Mills College, transferred to U.C. Berkeley, pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma, graduated 1951 with a music major degree. Her first professional experiences were the Robert Shaw Chorale, UCLA and Los Angeles City College opera workshops led by Jan Popper and Hugo Strelitzer where she sang title roles. She studied under Lotte Lehmann in Santa Barbara at the Music Academy of the West and with Fritz Zweig and his wife Tillie DeGarmo Zweig. A Fulbright Scholarship allowed her to live in Germany where she sang lead roles in Munich, Heidelberg, Oberhausen and Lucerne and Basel, Switzerland. On her return to the United States she sang at various venues in New York City and on cruise ships before enrolling at Indiana University School of Music where she graduated with a masters in music in 1974. Eileen Farrell was her mentor. She enjoyed frequent visits with her sister's family in Virginia. She taught voice at Oberlin College and the University of Wisconsin. Indiana University awarded her a Doctorate of Music Performance with High Distinction. Vocal performance was her love and more rewarding than academia. She moved to Palo Alto to be near aging parents. Joined the San Francisco Symphony Chorus in 1984 and subsequently accepted a tenured mezzo-soprano position with the San Francisco Opera's Regular Chorus. Her stage presence, features and acting skills stood out in her 1,000 SF Opera Chorus performances over 19 years. She maintained an active private voice studio for young women. She retired from the Opera December, 2004. She married Ted W. Wuerthner in 1992. She leaves behind her husband; sister, Sarah Hodgkin of Virginia, five nieces, a nephew, and a brother Daniel Swift of Cupertino.
Published in the San Francisco Chronicle on 3/9/2008.
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