Vera Barstow (June 3, 1891 – June 10, 1975) was an American violinist and teacher. She made a three-month tour playing for troops in France during World War I.
Vera Barstow was born in Celina, Ohio, but described as being from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [1] She trained in Europe. [2] Luigi von Kunits was one of her teachers. [3]
Barstow had a busy performing schedule, [4] beginning with appearances in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York in 1912–1913 season. [5] In 1916–1917 her tour of Canada was interrupted by an emergency surgery in Toronto. [6] [7] Of her 1917 appearance in Texas with Leo Ornstein, a critic reported that "Miss Barstow was delightful in every way and unquestionably one of the greatest women violinists we have heard." [8]
In the spring of 1918, she toured Pennsylvania and Virginia, including a stop at Camp Lee with pianist Herma Menth, to play for American troops during World War I. [9] She and Menth played gave further concerts for troops at Ellis Island and Camp Upton, working with the Stage Women's War Relief Society and the Jewish War Relief Society. [10] She went to France to entertain the troops there for three months in 1918–1919. [11] She described appearances of the all-female "Musical Foursome" [12] at field hospitals and playing for German prisoners. "I have never seen so much mud in my life," she wrote. [13] [14] She also fell ill in the 1918 flu pandemic while in France. [12]
Barstow made several recordings. [15] Later in life, Barstow moved to southern California, where she gave concerts with pianist Helena Lewyn in the 1920s, [16] [17] and taught private students in Pasadena and also at the California State University, Long Beach. Among her students were Akira Endo, [18] Elizabeth Morgridge Mills, [19] Arlene Gattuso, [20] Stanley Ellison Plummer, [21] and Eric McCracken. [22] She also coached the string section of the Pasadena Symphony. [23] She announced her retirement in 1962, [24] but was still teaching in 1969. [25] Isaac Stern was among the musicians performing at a gala concert in her honor in 1968, in Pasadena, with proceeds to fund a scholarship named for Barstow. [26]
Vera Barstow married William Pinkney Lawson; they had a daughter. Later she married John H. Meyers. She was widowed in 1935. [27] She died in 1975, aged 84 years. [28]
Vera Barstow (June 3, 1891 – June 10, 1975) was an American violinist and teacher. She made a three-month tour playing for troops in France during World War I.
Vera Barstow was born in Celina, Ohio, but described as being from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. [1] She trained in Europe. [2] Luigi von Kunits was one of her teachers. [3]
Barstow had a busy performing schedule, [4] beginning with appearances in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, and New York in 1912–1913 season. [5] In 1916–1917 her tour of Canada was interrupted by an emergency surgery in Toronto. [6] [7] Of her 1917 appearance in Texas with Leo Ornstein, a critic reported that "Miss Barstow was delightful in every way and unquestionably one of the greatest women violinists we have heard." [8]
In the spring of 1918, she toured Pennsylvania and Virginia, including a stop at Camp Lee with pianist Herma Menth, to play for American troops during World War I. [9] She and Menth played gave further concerts for troops at Ellis Island and Camp Upton, working with the Stage Women's War Relief Society and the Jewish War Relief Society. [10] She went to France to entertain the troops there for three months in 1918–1919. [11] She described appearances of the all-female "Musical Foursome" [12] at field hospitals and playing for German prisoners. "I have never seen so much mud in my life," she wrote. [13] [14] She also fell ill in the 1918 flu pandemic while in France. [12]
Barstow made several recordings. [15] Later in life, Barstow moved to southern California, where she gave concerts with pianist Helena Lewyn in the 1920s, [16] [17] and taught private students in Pasadena and also at the California State University, Long Beach. Among her students were Akira Endo, [18] Elizabeth Morgridge Mills, [19] Arlene Gattuso, [20] Stanley Ellison Plummer, [21] and Eric McCracken. [22] She also coached the string section of the Pasadena Symphony. [23] She announced her retirement in 1962, [24] but was still teaching in 1969. [25] Isaac Stern was among the musicians performing at a gala concert in her honor in 1968, in Pasadena, with proceeds to fund a scholarship named for Barstow. [26]
Vera Barstow married William Pinkney Lawson; they had a daughter. Later she married John H. Meyers. She was widowed in 1935. [27] She died in 1975, aged 84 years. [28]