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Ella Scoble Opperman Papers, 1719-1963, bulk 1900-1963

 

Summary

Abstract:
Correspondence, articles, speech material, notebooks, daybooks, music record books, photographs, memorabilia, and legal records documenting the personal and professional life of Ella Scoble Opperman, the first Dean of the Florida State College for Women School of Music. Includes Opperman family papers.
Extent:
4.48 Linear Feet
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Ella Scoble Opperman Papers, Heritage & University Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/fa/MSS-1969-196

Background

Scope and content:

The Ella Scoble Opperman Papers document the personal and professional life of this accomplished musician and first Dean of the Florida State College for Women (FSCW) School of Music. The collection includes correspondence, articles, speech materials, notebooks, daybooks, music record books, memorabilia, photographs, biographical material. In addition, there are certificates and diplomas received by her sister, Katie Marie Opperman, correspondence from Ella Opperman to her parents, and correspondence between other Opperman family members. Subjects covered include the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Wesleyan Female College, the pianoforte, Cincinnati Wesleyan College, teacher certification, and the dedication of Opperman Music Hall on the Florida State University campus. Correspondents include Ernest Jedliczka, Felix Alexandre Guilmant, Moritz Moszkowski, and Percy Grainger, a noted composer and pianist.

Biographical / historical:

Ella Scoble Opperman, Dean of the Florida State College for Women (FSCW) School of Music, was born October 27, 1873 in New Haven, Ohio. Her parents were Frederic Opperman, born in France, and Mary Scoble, born in Cincinnati, Ohio of English parents. Opperman began the study of piano at the age of five under her aunt, Laura H. Scoble, who was her teacher until she entered college. An accomplished pupil, she made her first public appearance as a pianist at the age of eight when she played at the Seymour, Indiana, opera house. A graduate of Aurora, Indiana High School, she received her diploma in piano and A.B. degree from Wesleyan College in Cincinnati at the age of 16. Later she received an artist diploma in piano and the Master of Music degree from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She studied in Berlin in 1900-1901 as a private piano pupil of the Russian pianist-teacher Ernest Jedliczka. From 1907-1909, she studied piano in Paris with classical music composer Moritz Moszkowski and organ with Felix Alexandre Guilmant. After returning to this country in 1909, she studied in master classes conducted by Leopold Godowsky, Rudolph Ganz, Isador Phillip, and Guy Maier. She studied organ under Harold Gleason at the Eastman School of Music. In addition, she gave several piano and organ recitals in Indiana and at the Cincinnati Conservatory, from which she received an honorary Doctor of Pedagogy degree in 1943.

Acquisition information:

Owen F. Sellers

Gift of Owen F. Sellers, Administrator of Estate of Ella Scoble Opperman, May 1969. Additional materials received in 1990, donor unknown.

Processing information:

The collection was processed in October 1969. Additional materials were processed in 1990 and 1997, and the finding aid was updated in May 2006 by Burt Altman. Finding aid encoded by Emily Gaskin.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open to all researchers.

This collection is in an offsite storage location. Please contact lib-specialcollections@fsu.edu with requests for access or for more information.

Terms of access:

To request permission to quote, publish, broadcast or otherwise reproduce from the archives, please contact Heritage & University Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. Researchers must obtain separate permission from the copyright holders of material held within University Archives collections for which the institution does not hold copyright.

Preferred citation:

Ella Scoble Opperman Papers, Heritage & University Archives, Florida State University Libraries, Tallahassee, Florida. https://purl.lib.fsu.edu/fa/MSS-1969-196

Location of this collection:
116 Honors Way
Tallahassee
FL
32306-2047
USA