Marjory Black

Marjory Black of Minneapolis passed away on May 8, 2024, at age 92. She is survived by daughters Anne Chenette (Jeff Pomeroy) and Catherine Chenette (Mark Spoering), life partner of 30 years Craig Randal Johnson, brother George Willson Black, stepchildren Janet and Paul Samarotto, and beloved grandchildren Dylan and Nakayla Spoering.

As French Hornist and teacher in the Twin Cities for six decades, she shared her bright light with many students, colleagues, friends and especially family. Marjory was the first female Horn graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music. She played with the Buffalo, Denver and Honolulu symphonies, was a frequent sub with the Minnesota Orchestra, and had a rich freelance career with many ensembles. In recent years, she especially loved performing with the Marquette Symphony in Michigan for 11 seasons.

Marjory was a music teacher par excellence, starting in her teens and continuing to age 91, with Zoom lessons added in 2020. She also taught at MacPhail and Hamline University for over 30 years. For a time, she rented rooms to musicians; many became life-long friends. Always curious about people and places, Marjory traveled multiple times to Africa, the Far East, Europe and Alaska, as well as across North America.

Close family held a private funeral in late May. There will be a gathering to honor Marjory on August 10, 2024; for details, email CelebrateMarjory@gmail.com. A memorial concert, open to Marjory's friends and the public, will be held on September 21, 2:00 PM, 2024, at Hamline's Sundin Hall in St. Paul.

ABOUT MARJORY'S LIFE

Marjory Black grew up in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. She came from a stern Scottish background, which built the strong backbone that carried her through her life. She also had a lively sense of humor and a huge helping of enthusiasm for everything life had to offer.

From a very early age, Marjory knew she wanted to be a French horn player. Marjory would take the bus to the Harrisburg PA library in order to listen to recordings and study music. She regularly practiced for many hours a day. According to a family story, her father tried to pay her NOT to practice, but she refused every time. She even turned down the chance to have a horse, in order to have time to practice her instrument.

In her mid-teens, Marjory played French horn with local orchestras, including the Reading Symphony, which was primarily composed of Philadelphia Orchestra musicians. This experience led to her admission to the Curtis Institute of Music for horn studies with Mason Jones, the famous first horn player of the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1956, Marjory Black became the first female French horn graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music.

After graduating from Curtis, Marjory and first husband Stephen Chenette played in the Buffalo Philharmonic, followed by the Denver Symphony. Her first daughter, Anne, was born in Buffalo; her second daughter, Catherine, was born in Denver. In 1960, Steve became the first trumpet of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (later the Minnesota Orchestra). Marjory's move to Minneapolis led to six decades of French horn performance and teaching in Minnesota.

Marjory had a rich freelance career in the Twin Cities. She was a frequent sub with the Minneapolis Symphony, was a staff musician at the then-new Guthrie Theater and Minnesota Opera, played Principal horn in the Minneapolis Civic Orchestra, and performed with the Mill City Brass and Lake Harriet Pops. She played dozens of concert and school performances with the Minnesota Woodwind Quintet in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota. She appeared as recitalist and chamber music performer with the Thursday Musical, Hamline University, and MacPhail faculty concerts. Marjory also took a hiatus from Minnesota to play first horn with the Honolulu Symphony.

A musician with a huge appreciation of the classical music repertoire from the Renaissance to the present, she relished playing many different styles. Marjory especially loved contemporary music, such as the repertory of the New Hampshire Music Festival, led by conductor Tom Nee. Several of her recitals featured exclusively 20th century music.

In more recent years, Marjory spent much special time in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, usually with Craig. Beginning in 1996, she played several seasons with the Superior Festival Orchestra; from 2005-2016, she was a regular member of the Marquette Symphony Orchestra. She played the complex contemporary opera "Rockland" at the Pine Mountain Music Festival, with the Boreal Chamber Symphony, and two large FinnFest concerts in Marquette. She premiered a new work as horn soloist with the Marquette Choral Society. Marquette became a second music home for the last 20-plus years of Marjory's playing career, and she loved the trips between Minneapolis and Marquette.

Marjory Black loved teaching and was an experienced and enthusiastic French horn instructor. She taught many dozens of horn players throughout her lifetime. In the 1960s, she was the horn instructor for the St. Paul Philharmonic Society music camp and related activities. Marjory was on staff at the MacPhail School of Music for over 30 years, and was at Hamline University for an equally long time. She also taught solfege (sight-singing and ear-training) at Hamline, MacPhail, and in private lessons. She originally studied solfege at Curtis, followed by additional studies at the Longy School of Music in Boston and the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Marjory was a unique instructor who had the capacity to understand and bring out the musical sensibilities of her students.

In the midst of her busy music and teaching career, Marjory was a wonderful mother to her two daughters: attentive, loving, and fun. She drove them to lessons, attended all their performances, and hosted birthday parties. She often took them to museums, plays, and concerts. She also encouraged her daughters to accompany her backstage to rehearsals and performances. When her precious grandchildren came along, Marjory was delighted and made sure that time with them was her top priority.

For a decade or two, after her daughters were grown, Marjory rented rooms at her home in Prospect Park. She rented to musicians, with the goal of providing a place where practicing was welcome. Her house was a lively, stimulating place, with talented and interesting residents; many became her lifelong friends.

In addition to children, friends, roommates, and students, there were many pets in Marjory's life. Four black labs have inhabited her Minneapolis house, traveled the country, and taken thousands of walks around the block: Harper the notorious escapee, Roy the shy stray, Angus the giant, and Brodie the runt and sweetest of all. There was also an orphaned skunk, a baby rat, and a Mother's-day-present garter snake. And of course there were many cats, including the original Zeebie, the almost eternal Bernard (who lived to age 24) and the latest resident, Bakugo. The house was always full of life and, at times, some level of chaos.

Always curious about people and places, Marjory was a life-long traveler. When she was a child, her parents would offer her a birthday party or a trip; she always chose the trip. Once she had children, there were many camping trips and car voyages, including long drives to the New Hampshire Music Festival. (Her trick was to take the night ferry across Lake Michigan; she would sleep and her daughters would explore the ship "on their own" all night.) Once in New Hampshire, she loved hiking in the White Mountains on her days off. In the 1980s, Marjory and her great friend Maxine Elworthy went on a summer-long camping road trip, covering most of the states and fishing for most of their dinners. Her first tour of Europe was with her dear friend Susan DeJong. What stories she told! She also went to China and Japan to visit her exchange-student daughter Catherine. There was no slowdown in her later years. She and her brother George explored Scotland, land of their heritage. Marjory and daughter Anne took trips to Alaska, Jamaica, Senegal, and Russia. She toured South Africa and Swaziland. With Craig, Marjory explored Finland, Iceland, Germany (twice), and the Puglia region of Italy. There were also trips to Alaska and the Canadian Gaspe Peninsula. Life was interesting everywhere, and Marjory wanted to see it all.

Marjory was distinguished by her lively and optimistic outlook on life. Her warm, welcoming nature drew people to her and created many good friendships. To her students, Marjory was so much more than a teacher; she was a caring mentor. Quite a few became long-term friends. To her adult daughters, she became a best friend, as well as remaining an unconditionally loving mother. To everyone who encountered Marjory, her buoyant energy caused her to be almost universally liked. Every day, no matter where she was, she found things to be fascinated and delighted with. To talk to her was to catch that enthusiasm and have one's spirit lifted.

Her family misses Marjory in the deepest way. She lives on through her many students and friends and loved ones, whose lives are richer because of Marjory's mentorship, support, and love.