Postponed: Shirley Curtiss Remembered
We treasure the memory of our longtime faculty member Shirley Curtiss and were eagerly anticipating the opportunity to celebrate her life and impact on March 22 at our Mary Louise Curtis Branch. However, as the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to intensify across the world, we have closed our branches until at least March 27 to ensure the health and safety of our students, families, faculty, and staff, as well as all of our wonderful supporters. We look forward to rescheduling this event at a later date.
A celebration of the life and career of Shirley Curtiss, an extraordinary bassoonist and chamber music coach at our School for nearly 50 years before her retirement in 2013.
Over the course of her remarkable career, Shirley became a preeminent woodwind teacher in our region. The woodwind program she joined in 1964 gained national renown while shaping the artistry of generations of emerging musicians, many of whom would enjoy performance careers at lauded institutions—including the Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and more.
The program will feature remembrances as well as special performances by those she inspired as a teacher, mentor, and friend. Please help us reach out to all those impacted by Shirley’s artistry by taking a moment to complete the survey below.