Page 22 - FIS_World_May_2015

The San Francisco Symphony performs in the Kurhaus Wiesbaden as part of their European Tour
Music Brings Alumna
Back to FIS
Barbara Chaffe ‘74 Makes FIS Part of her European Tour
On 2 September 2015 FIS alum- na Barbara Chaffe and her husband, Rob Weir, visited FIS
from San Francisco, California.
Barbara first started playing the flute in the music program at FIS and and later attended the prestigious music conservatory, the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She now plays the flute for the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra in her “regular” job (and has for the past 36 years), and occasionally plays for the San Francisco Symphony.
Barbara Chaffe at FIS in the mid-60s
Barbara joined the San Francisco Symphony’s European Tour this fall as the piccolo player, and during their tour of Germany visited FIS. Her husband, Rob, plays the bassoon for Symphony as well.
On their tour, the San Francisco Symphony played 13 concerts in nine cities in some of Europe’s most prestigious concert halls and festivals including Edinburgh, London, Wiesbaden, Berlin, Bucharest, Lucerne, Luxembourg, Amsterdam and Paris. The music festival that brought them to Germany is the well-known Rheingau Music Festival.
During Barbara’s visit to campus she talked fondly about her FIS music teacher, Mr. Hoshina, who was from Japan. She toured the school and visited the music rooms, which have
expanded dramatically since her school days in the 60s.
Barbara and her two older sisters attended FIS from 1964 -1966. Barbara attended Grades 3 and 4 (Class of 1974); her sister, Lisa, attended Grades 6 and 7 (Class of 1971); and her sister, Michele, attended Grades 8 and9 (Class of 1969).
While in Germany Barbara’s father worked for Caltex and she remembers that there was a refinery in the Rhein Main area back then. Her family, originally from Nyack, NY, lived in Australia, England and Germany before moving back to the U.S.
Nancy Huston,
Development and Alumni Relations Manager
© San Francisco Symphony
20 FIS World October 2015