MARSHALL, LOIS, 1924-1997
MUS 280

Lois Marshall fonds.  - 1948-1996.  - 57 cm of textual records.  - 38 photographs.  - 23 audio tape reels. 

Biographical sketch
This celebrated Toronto-born soprano began studying singing at age 12 with Weldon Kilburn, and lieder interpretation 50 with Emmy Heim.  In 1947, she was engaged by Sir Ernest MacMillan as a soprano soloist in Bach's St.  Matthew Passion with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.  Throughout the 1950s, she also sang Bach's Mass in B Minor, Verdi's Requiem and Handel's Messiah with these ensembles.  An indisputably talented singer, she won a number of awards including the Singing Stars of Tomorrow (1950), the Eaton Graduating Scholarship (1950) and the Naumburg Award (1952).  During her career, Lois Marshall performed in a number of countries with numerous music ensembles including Washington's National Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Bach Aria Group of New York, the Festival Singers and the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus (Ontario).  She also participated in the premieres of a number of Canadian works including Alexander Brott's Songs of Contemplation, John Beckwith's Great Lakes Suite, Oskar Morawetz's From the Diary of Anne Frank and Harry Somers' Limericks. 

Scope and content
The fonds consists of records pertaining to Lois Marshall's musical career:  it includes, among other items, awards; promotional material; professional correspondence (letters received); narrations; concert programmes; manuscript and published (annotated) scores from Marshall's repertoire; photographs of the singer, alone, in concert and at official ceremonies (receiving awards); sound recordings of Lois Marshall and other artists including Janet Baker, Gerald Moore and Maureen Forrester. 

Immediate source of acquisition:  acquired by donation from Kimberley Scott, niece of Lois Marshall, in 1997. 

Restrictions:  none. 

Finding aids:  provisional description.