Update on Kemp Stillings article

As always, I'm so thrilled by the very interesting responses I've gotten from these blog posts! The article on Kemp Stillings elicited two responses. The first was from New York violinist Jon Kass, who had studied with Stillings as a child in her very late years. We had a great talk on the phone while he was stuck in traffic on the way to a gig. Jon's father discovered that Stillings was still teaching in New York, in her studio that overlooked the stage door of Carnegie Hall. His dad frequently exclaimed to him, "My God! She studied with Joachim! What an opportunity!" Stillings was nearly if not completely blind at the time, and would have to feel Jon's hands to check position. Jon said what he remembers most was her amazing sound; even at that time in her life she had a glorious tone. He did confess that she probably was not the right teacher for him at that time; when working on vibrato, for example, she suggested that he just "waggle his hand." It was a treat to get to talk with Jon. If you live in the New York area, hire him for a gig!

The other response was from Hartmut Schutz, a researcher in Germany who is trying to identify all the violinists in a picture of Leopold Auer and 43 of his students taken in 1914. The picture is owned by the Dresden State Opera historic archive, so I do not have permission to reproduce it here. I poured over it, comparing the unidentified women to the picture of Stillings from a 1923 promo ad. I thought I'd found her, but Dr. Schutz thinks my choice is someone else, the Swedish violinist Greta af Sillen. A new name for me! Anyone have any information on this violinist?

Next up-- how Arthur P. Schmidt and Harvey S. Whistler were major contributors to the creation of the anthology!