Nellie Agnes Hope
Black and white portait photograph of a middle-aged white woman
Background information
BornJune 14, 1864
Prescott, Wisconsin, U.S.
DiedOctober 11, 1918
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupations
  • musician
  • music teacher
  • orchestra conductor
Instrumentsviolin
Formerly ofMiss Hope's Ladies' Orchestra

Nellie A. Hope (June 14, 1864 – October 11, 1918) was an American violinist, music teacher, and orchestra conductor. She founded and conducted the first women's orchestra directed by a woman in the Twin Cities area, "Miss Hope's Ladies' Orchestra".[1] The first orchestra at Macalester College was established by Hope.[2] In Saint Paul, Minnesota, Hope was active in local music circles,[1] her studios at the Chamber of Commerce Building being the center of a busy musical life.[3]

Early life and education

Nellie Agnes Hope was born in Prescott, Wisconsin, June 14, 1864.[1][lower-alpha 1] Her parents were William Henry Hope and Ellen Jane (Blaine) Hope. From her earliest childhood, she lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota.[3]

She received her early musical education under the Broune Violin School, Prof. Broune being assistant teacher and pupil of Joseph Joachim. She took special courses in vocal music with teachers in Chicago, New York City, and St. Louis.[3]

She spent the summer of 1903 in Europe, where she studied voice with Madame Auguer and with Jacques Bouhy, and the violin with Eugène Ysaÿe in Paris. She studied for some time with Alberto Randegger in London.[3]

Career

Nellie A. Hope (1904)

Hope taught violin and voice for many years,[1] being a violinist of the Joachim school.[3] She was chair of the violin section of the State Music Teachers' Association,[1] and represented the Minnesota State Music Teachers' Association at the meeting of the national association held in St. Louis.[3]

She organized the first women's orchestra directed by a woman in the Twin Cities area,[1] being the director of Miss Hope's Ladies' Orchestra, which had more than a local reputation. The orchestra was organized for the women's headquarters during the Grand Army of the Republic's (G.A.R.) Thirtieth National Encampment, in Saint Paul, 1896.[6] During the encampment, Hope was presented with a baton, which she continued to wield thereafter.[3]

In 1897, Hope became the first woman appointed to Macalester College's newly-organized department of music.[7] where she taught until 1900.[4] [lower-alpha 2]

She was chair of one of the standing committees of the Minnesota State Federation of Women's Clubs.[1] The Minnesota Ladies'Orchestra, with Hope as director, was under the management of the State Federation of Women's Clubs.[8]

Hope was one of the organizers of the Newsboys' Band, was secretary of the Institute Chorus, and held office in most of the music organizations of the Twin Cities and active in many of the charitable institutions.[1] The St. Paul Choral Club owed its success largely to Hope's work in its behalf; she served the club as secretary since its beginning. She was a member of the Schubert Club (Saint Paul), the Associated Music Teachers League (New York City),[3] and the Thursday Club (Minneapolis).[1]

For ten years, she was associated with the choir of the First Baptist Church of Saint Paul, most of her time as director. As of 1904, she had charge of the choir of the Woodland Park Baptist Church.[3]

Death

Nellie Agnes Hope died of heart disease, aggravated by an attack of bronchitis, at her home in Saint Paul, October 11, 1918.[1][9] She was buried at St. Paul's, Oakland Cemetery.[5]

Notes

  1. ↑ According to symposium.music.org, Hope was born in 1862,[4] while according to familysearch.org, Hope was born July 1866.[5]
  2. ↑ Macalester College's first music teacher, however, was Mrs. R. N. Parks (1893).[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Foster, Mary Dillon (1924). "NELLIE A. HOPE". Who's who Among Minnesota Women: A History of Woman's Work in Minnesota from Pioneer Days to Date, Told in Biographies, Memorials and Records of Organizations. M. D. Foster. p. 139. Retrieved 28 June 2022. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. 1 2 Howe, Sondra Wieland (7 November 2013). Women Music Educators in the United States: A History. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0-8108-8848-7. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "MISS NELLIE A. HOPE". The Saint Paul Globe. 3 July 1904. p. 40. Retrieved 30 June 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  4. 1 2 Jackson, Cheryl. "Women as Leaders of Collegiate Bands, 1850-1980 - College Music Symposium". symposium.music.org. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Nellie Agnes Hope". www.familysearch.org. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  6. ↑ "Thirtieth National Encampment, St. Paul, Minn. - State Encampments: Bibliography - The Grand Army of the Republic and Kindred Societies (Main Reading Room, Library of Congress)". www.loc.gov. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  7. ↑ Parker, Linda Faye (1982). Women in Music in St. Paul from 1898-1957 with Emphasis on the St. Paul Public Schools. University of Minnesota. p. 56. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  8. ↑ "The Minnesota Ladies' Orchestra". The Luyceumite and Talent. Vol. 3. Lyceum Magazine. October 1909. p. 50. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  9. ↑ "Miss Nellie A. Hope of Schubert Club Is Dead". Star Tribune. 12 October 1918. p. 19. Retrieved 30 June 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.