Beebe Freitas

Beebe Freitas (August 28, 1938 – February 17, 2018) was an American pianist, organist, vocal coach and educator. She was the Head of Music for Hawaii Opera Theatre.[1]

Beebe Freitas
Background information
Birth nameBeatrice Pauline Botty
Born(1938-08-28)August 28, 1938
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
DiedFebruary 17, 2018(2018-02-17) (aged 79)
Aina Haina, Hawaii
Occupation(s)Head of Music – Hawaii Opera Theatre
Years active1954–2018

Life

Beatrice Pauline (Botty) Freitas was born in Youngstown, Ohio, to father John Botty and mother Pauline (Esterhay) Botty. Freitas's father was Pastor of the Hungarian United Presbyterian Church in Youngstown, was born in Hungary and was a naturalized citizen of the United States.[2] Freitas's mother was Dean of Women and Head of the Sociology Department at Youngstown State University and an attorney.[3] Beebe married Lewis P. Freitas November 30, 1964 and is the mother of Roslyn Kapuamakalaniepaheahe Freitas Catracchia and John Botty Freitas.

Freitas attended South High School in Youngstown and in 1954 was the recipient of a Ford Foundation Early Admissions Scholarship to Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1958, studying piano with Edward Mattos.[4] She was awarded a Scholarship in Accompanying from Boston University where she received a Master of Music degree in 1959, studying piano with Alexander Borovsky and music history with Karl Geiringer.[5] Continuing postgraduate education at Juilliard School of Music, New York City, from 1959 to 1962, she studied piano with Beveridge Webster and ensemble music with Louis Persinger, Isadore Cohen, Robert Mann, Luigi Silva and others.[6]

Freitas and her husband moved to Honolulu in 1966[6] where she was the Head of Music for Hawaii Opera Theatre, organist for the First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu[7] and the Punahou School Chapel Program,[8] and coached privately.

She died at her home in Aina Haina, Hawaii on February 17, 2018.[9]

Career

Early years

Freitas made her professional debut performing with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra during their 1955 – '56 season. While an Accompanying Scholarship Masters recipient at Boston University she served as a rehearsal pianist for Charles Munch, Music Director and Conductor of the Boston Symphony, during their 1958 – '59 season and, during the summer of 1959 performed as soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Arthur Fiedler conducting. While at Juilliard she served as the Choral Rehearsal Pianist from 1959 to 1962 and participated in the Opening Performance of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.[10]

Over the next four years she went on to become the rehearsal pianist for the Collegiate Chorale and the Camerata Singers under the direction of Abraham Kaplan, and regularly served as rehearsal pianist for choral works being presented by the New York Philharmonic conducted by Leonard Bernstein, William Steinberg, Joseph Krips and Thomas Schippers.[11] Freitas also was rehearsal accompanist for recordings under Robert Shaw.[12]

Honolulu, Hawaii

After Freitas and husband Lewis moved to Honolulu,[6] she taught privately and was the organist at Niu Valley's Kilohana Methodist Church under Helen Noh Lee. She joined the faculty of the University of Hawaii Music Department, Manoa Campus, in 1972 teaching piano, accompanying, working with choruses, and coaching opera and music theater workshops.[13]

Freitas began working with Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT) as rehearsal pianist in 1972 when Robert LaMarchina, then conductor of the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra (recently renamed Hawaii Symphony), initiated regular opera productions.[14] She helped shepherd the transition of the company, as part of the Honolulu Symphony, to being a separate institution, serving at various times as rehearsal pianist, vocal coach, co-Choral Master with Nola Nahulu, Artistic Director,[15] Associate Artistic Director and was Head of Music for the company.[16]

Freitas has performed in recitals with David Shifrin, Tom Boyd, Leonard Rose, Sylvia McNair, Bernard Greenhouse, Yo-Yo Ma, Quinn Kelsey, Maya Hoover,[17] Lawrence Paxton, Sasha Cooke, Leon Williams, Frederica von Stade and others. She was the keyboard specialist with the Honolulu Symphony for thirty years and has performed with many of the professional chamber music groups in the state,[18] including the Galliard String Quartet and the Spring Wind Quintet.[19] She has recorded Sea Dreams, for Lehua Records[20] and keyboards for Rosemary Clooney's last two recordings: "The Last Concert" (2002)[21] and "Best of the Concord Years" (2003).[22] She has served on the boards of several music organizations in Honolulu, including Hawai'i Arts Alliance[23]

Awards and honors

Freitas has received numerous awards and honors, among which are the following:

  • 'Oahu Choral Society – Dale R. Noble Award for outstanding contributions to choral music in Hawaii 2014[24]
  • Hawaii Arts Alliance – Alfred Preis Award 2005[25]
  • Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii – Living Treasures of Hawaii 2003[26]
  • National Society of Arts and Letters, Honolulu Chapter – Roselani Medallion Honoree 2002
  • City and County of Honolulu Commission on Culture and the Arts Award
  • YWCA of 'Oahu Leadership Honoree 1983[27]
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See also

References
  1. "Membership Directory". National Opera Center (Summer 2014). Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  2. Lynch, Terrence (May 23, 1977). Pauline Botty: Sociology Department Experience. Youngstown, Ohio: Youngstown State University. pp. i–ii.
  3. Lynch, Terrence (May 23, 1977). Pauline Botty: Sociology Department Experience. Youngstown, Ohio: Youngstown State University. pp. 3, 4, 10.
  4. "Just Like My Mom/Dad". Oberlin Alumni Magazine. 102 (02): 3. Fall 2006.
  5. "Aria". Hawaii Opera Theatre Season Bulletin (February–March 2000): 27.
  6. Murray, Steve (October 12, 2005). "Beebe Freitas". MidWeek. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  7. Freitas, Beebe. "organist". First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  8. Freitas, Beebe. "Profile of an Organist". YouTube. 'Hiki No" Hawaii Public Television. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  9. "Gifted isle musician helped others reach their potential". February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  10. "Aria". Hawaii Opera Theatre Season Bulletin. 2000 season (February–March 2000): 27.
  11. Keany, Michael; Toth, Catherine. "Behind the Curtain" (January 2009). Honolulu magazine.
  12. "Honpa Hongwanji, Mission to Honor Living Treasures of Hawaii". Honolulu Star Bulletin. February 1, 2003.
  13. "Music at Manoa". University of Hawaii Department of Music Bulletin. 3 (1): 3. Fall 1984.
  14. Hall, Dale E. (2002). The Honolulu Symphony: a Century of Music. Honolulu, Hawaii: Goodale Publishing. pp. 116–117. ISBN 0-9662945-6-4.
  15. Hall, Dale E. (2002). The Honolulu Symphony: a Century of Music. Honolulu, Hawaii: Goodale Publishing. pp. 137–138. ISBN 0-9662945-6-4.
  16. "Aria". Hawaii Opera Theatre Season Bulletin (March 2014): 16.
  17. "Beebe Freitas Archives - HOT". HOT. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  18. "Program". Hawaii Chamber Orchestra: 6. May 7, 1977.
  19. "Program". Spring Wind Quintet: 4. May 14, 1993.
  20. "Sea Dreams". Lehua Records. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  21. Santella, Jim. "Rosemary Clooney: The Last Concert". All About Jazz. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  22. "Best of the Concord Years". HMV.co.jp. HMV Online. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  23. "Hawai'i Arts Alliance". Hawai'i Arts Alliance. Archived from the original on July 3, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  24. Morem, Stephanie. "Vivace 2014". 'Oahu Choral Society. Archived from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  25. Berger, John (October 19, 2005). "On the Scene" (Vol. 10, Issue 292). Honolulu Star Bulletin. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  26. Ritz, Mary Kaye (January 25, 2003). "Mission honors 6 as 'treasures'". Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
  27. "Honorees 1980–1989". YWCA. YWCA-Hawaii Chapter. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
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