Florence Birdwell
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Florence Gillam Birdwell (September 3, 1924 – February 15, 2021), sometimes referred to as Flo Birdwell, was an American educator, musician, and singer. She taught
musical theater Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, moveme ...
and
opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...
singing for more than six decades. She served as a professor of voice at the Bass School of Music at
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University (OCU) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees and docto ...
from 1946 to 2013, and afterwards periodically teaching
master class ''Master Class'' is a 1995 play by American playwright Terrence McNally, presented as a fictional master class by opera singer Maria Callas near the end of her life, in the 1970s. The play features incidental vocal music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giac ...
es as a
professor emerita ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retirement, retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". ...
. In 2024, the National Association of Teachers of Singers honored Birdwell's career and contributions by naming the first prize of its annual National Musical Theatre Competition "The Florence Birdwell Award." The competition, held in New York City and featuring O'Hara as honorary host, took place on Jan. 8, 2024.


Life and career

Born Florence Gillam Hobin in
Douglas, Arizona Douglas is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States, that lies in the north-west to south-east running Sulphur Springs Valley. Douglas has a Douglas, Arizona Port of Entry, border crossing with Mexico at Agua Prieta and a history of min ...
, Birdwell was the daughter of Warner and Grace (Gillam) Hobin. She was raised in
Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , literal translation, lit. "Holy Faith") is the capital city, capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Santa Fe County. With over 89,000 residents, Santa Fe is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, fourt ...
, and
Lawton, Oklahoma Lawton is a city in and the county seat of Comanche County, Oklahoma, Comanche County, in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Located in western Oklahoma, approximately southwest of Oklahoma City, it is the principal city of the Lawton metropolitan ar ...
. She studied voice under Inez Silberg at
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University (OCU) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees and docto ...
(OCU), where she earned undergraduate (1945) and graduate degrees. After additional instruction, Birdwell returned to OCU where she joined the voice faculty. Upon her death in 2021 at the age of 96,
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
noted that during her 67 years as an OCU faculty member, she established "herself as a dramatic, no-nonsense mentor. She helped aspiring musical theater and opera singers unlock the mysteries of captivating an audience, but she could also make her students weep with her candid feedback on their progress." Birdwell received the state's highest arts honor, the Governor's Arts Award in 1985 from Oklahoma Governor
George Nigh George Patterson Nigh (born June 9, 1927) is an American politician and civic leader from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Nigh served as the 17th and the 22nd governor of Oklahoma and as the eighth and tenth lieutenant governor of Oklahoma. He was t ...
. In 1990, OCU established the Florence Birdwell Vocal Scholarship Fund in her honor. In 2004, she was recognized as a Member Laureate of
Sigma Alpha Iota Sigma Alpha Iota () is an international music fraternity. It was established in 1903 at the University School of Music in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sigma Alpha Iota is a member of the National Interfraternity Music Council and the Professional Frater ...
, an international music fraternity for women. In March 2007, ''Starry Night'', a musical tribute to her lengthy teaching career, was held as a fundraising event to fund an endowed chair in Birdwell's name at the university. Birdwell's students have included
Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...
,
Kelli O'Hara Kelli Christine O'Hara (born April 16, 1976) is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages. An eight-time Tony Award nominee, O'Hara won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her perfor ...
,
Lara Teeter Lara Teeter (born February 3, 1955) is an American dancer, actor, singer, theater director and college professor. Biography Born in Guthrie, Oklahoma, Teeter earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oklahoma City University. He made his Broadw ...
and Miss America 1981 Susan Powell. When both Chenoweth (starring as Lily Garland in
On the Twentieth Century ''On the Twentieth Century'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. Based partly on the 1932 play '' Twentieth Century'' and its 1934 film adaptation, the musical is part operetta, part farce ...
) and O'Hara (starring as
Anna Leonowens Anna Harriette Leonowens (born Ann Hariett Emma Edwards; 5 November 1831 – 19 January 1915) was an Anglo-Indian or Indian-born British travel writer, educator, and social activist. She became well known with the publication of her memoirs, ...
in
The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childr ...
) were nominated by the Tony Awards in 2015 for the Best Lead Actress in a Musical,
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
assigned a reporter and photographer to cover Birdwell's arrival and subsequent masterclass in New York City. Sarah Lyall's account noted: "The word 'legend' is thrown around too blithely on Broadway — everyone seems to be some sort of legend — but at her age and with her track record (dozens of former students in the business, two currently competing against each other for a Tony Award), Mrs. Birdwell might well qualify. In 67 years of teaching at Oklahoma City University, from 1946 to 2013, Mrs. Birdwell amassed an adoring fan base. Her students have never really stopped being her students." The Times' feature concluded with Birdwell sharing her philosophy on the importance of being tough on students preparing for a career as a performer. "Mrs. Birdwell has had people run from her classes, weeping hysterically, never to return. 'That’s life,' she said. 'If they can’t take the criticism they’ve asked for — then don’t come.'Also, she said, not everyone is cut out to be performer. 'There are other fields,' Mrs. Birdwell said. 'With one girl I said, "Go to cooking school," ' she recalled. 'And therapy! Everybody should go to therapy.'”


References


External links


Official biography
at
Oklahoma City University Oklahoma City University (OCU) is a private university historically affiliated with the United Methodist Church and located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The university offers undergraduate bachelor's degrees, graduate master's degrees and docto ...
website
Video of interview
with Birdwell, ''
The Oklahoman ''The Oklahoman'' is the largest daily newspaper in Oklahoma, United States, and is the only regional daily that covers the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, Greater Oklahoma City area. The Alliance for Audited Media (formerly Audit Bureau Circul ...
'' 1924 births 2021 deaths American voice teachers Musicians from Santa Fe, New Mexico Oklahoma City University alumni Oklahoma City University faculty Sigma Alpha Iota 20th-century American educators 20th-century American women educators 21st-century American educators 21st-century American women educators Place of birth missing Place of death missing American women academics {{Authority control