Frank Stalzer (1925-2016) began oboe lessons at 13 years old. He received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Kansas University in 1948 and a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music in 1950. He taught at Louisiana State University from 1950-1955, preceding Earnest Harrison. While at LSU, he performed with the Baton Rouge and New Orleans Symphonies. At the suggestion of John Mack, he traveled to France in October of 1954 to study privately with Tabuteau. From then until May of 1955, he took a lesson each week.
After his return to the states, he was recruited as oboe professor at Arizona State University in Tempe, teaching there until his retirement in 1990. While at ASU, Frank was a member of the Woodwind Quintet and principal oboe/English horn in the Phoenix Symphony.
During the mid-1950s and early 60s, Frank purchased gouged/shaped cane, reeds and oboes from Tabuteau that he freely shared with his students. The letters below from Marcel Tabuteau reflect much of that activity. Our appreciation to Frank Stalzer’s daughter, Barbara Stalzer Pineda, for making these important letters available to us for this website. Also, our thanks to Fred Capps, one of Frank’s outstanding students, for alerting us through Editorial Board member, David Weber, of the existence of these letters.
7 Letters from:
La Leque par le Brusc; France Var
(Location of Tabuteau’s mansion: ‘La Coustiéro’)
November 28, 1955
February 10, (1956)
March 12, 1956
May 14, 1956
May 11, 1957
No Date, but probably 1958
April 17, 1959
1 Letter from:
39 Avenue Vert Coteau; Toulon, France Var
(Home of Tabuteau’s brother, André)
No date, but probably late 1959 after La Coustiéro was sold
8 Letters from:
“Miramar” 111 Promenade des Anglais; Nice, France A. M.
February 12, probably 1960
July 20, 1961
September 11, 1961
October 16, 1961
November 28, 1961
December 4, 1962
August 25, probably 1963
October 28, 1964
