American Women in Tuba and Euphonium: 19th Century

Educa;on and Separate Spheres

All female Chamber Ensembles, Orchestras, Wind and Brass Bands Begin
With the founding of American colleges and universi;es came the opportunity for music training here at home, as opposed
to Europe, which had been the standard. As women graduated, and finding no place which would allow them to audi;on,
they began to form their own groups. Family Bands were a popular draw, and the vaudeville touring circuit began.

Family
Bands
Oberlin Become
College Popular
Founded 1880s
Accepts Helen
students of May
all races Butler
1835 Ladies
Military
Band
1891
Harvard (1636)
Yale (1701)
Princeton (1746)
Colombia (1754)
1870 1900
Penn State (1755)
Boston FadeKe Ladies
Orchestra
Cheyney University Boston’s New England 6,063 concerts, 550,000
Founded, first of the Conservatory of Music has 1097 miles toured, over 600
historically black female and 317 male students women earned more than
colleges and enrolled, though it reserved its a half million in salary.
universi;es scholarships for men 5 different women play
1837 1868 tuba with the group
1888

Oberlin, Cincinna;, Boston, and New Rounds Imperial Ladies Band, New York, c. 1900
England Conservatories Founded UNC Pembroke Founded as a Normal School for
1865-1867 Na;ve Americans enrolling men and women
1887

For more informa;on visit The Interna;onal Women’s Brass Conference hKps://www.myiwbc.org Dr. Joanna Ross Hersey, president@myiwbc.org
 American Women in Tuba and Euphonium: Early 20th Century
Explora,on and Establishment
Vaudeville, Women’s Orchestras and the Sounds of Jazz
Women joined the professional workforce in greater numbers aOer the turn of the century working on the Vaudeville
touring circuit and in the expansion of the American orchestral market. During WW1 many performed as entertainers,
and aOer the war, Hollywood became the new center for professional music as radio and film took off.

American
Federa,on
of
Musicians
forced to
begin
accep,ng
women Fern Cashford Los Angeles
1904 (leO) Women’s
and the Parisian Symphony
Redheads (right) Orchestra
1930 (right) 1933

1900 1940
Cora Women gain Deva Ellsworth
Youngblood the right to Tuba, HMB Band and
Corson vote Various Brass Bands
Featured na,onwide Na,onwide
soloist with 1920
HMB Band,
Tuba and
Euphonium
1905
Edna White
Trumpet
Quartet
1914
Prairie View Co-Eds Jazz Band, 1940s

For more informa,on visit The Interna,onal Women’s Brass Conference hYps://www.myiwbc.org Dr. Joanna Ross Hersey, president@myiwbc.org
 American Women in Tuba and Euphonium: Mid-20th Century
WarEme and the Fight for Equality
During the war years, women provided the soundtrack in military bands and in dance halls across the naEon, performing at
a high level, though sEll in separate spheres. ARer the war opportuniEes became more limited, and the desire to create
ensembles of mixed gender met with severe resistance. The Civil Rights Era and the eventual adopEon of screened
audiEons paved the way for some movement forward, though the world of music performance remained off limits to many.

Phil Spitalny's Hour of Charm

Orchestra, 1940s
Connie Weldon
performs with
the Boston Pops
(1954), NC
Symphony,
Concertgebouw
Women’s and Teaches at
Army Band University of
404th Miami
1942-1944 (1960-1991)

1940 1970
Gloria
Dungill tours
All US Military
with her
branches begin
family
allowing women
1950s-1960s
musicians
service-wide for
Sylvia the first Eme
Greenstein since WW2
welcomes 1976
troop ships
in NYC
US Military Bands become open to women 1943-45
1942-1944

For more informaEon visit The InternaEonal Women’s Brass Conference h\ps://www.myiwbc.org Dr. Joanna Ross Hersey, president@myiwbc.org