Lois Elizabeth Schaefer

I not only had the great pleasure of being a student of Lois Schaefer, but also had the opportunity to care for her beloved cat, Vivaldi. I have such fond memories of spirited lessons with Lois, cuddling up with Vivaldi, as well as plucking the Japanese Beetles off of her beautiful rose bushes. She was a wonderful woman who taught me so much, not just how to play the flute, but how to care for African violets, roses, and orchids. She instilled in me a great love of music and also sparked in...

In memory of my dear teacher Lois Schaefer

Ms. Schaefer was my flute teacher at the New England Conservatory from 1971 to 1975. She demanded that her students work hard and take their studies seriously, yet she was kind and encouraging. She also had a lovely, dry sense of humor, and a warm relationship with one of our greatest flute professors, James Pappoutsakis. She once told me the story of her cat, who would place a cracker on the grass in the yard, then back off to wait for a bird to come for it. Rest in peace, dear teacher.