Fernande Kaeser UMASS-Amherst Music Department Piano 1969-1982

Fernande Kaeser (1929 – 2002) was a member of the University of Massachusetts – Amherst Music Department Piano Faculty from 1969-1982.

The Author of this essay, was an instrumental

performance major as well as instrumental music education major between 1967 and 1972. The Author of this essay never had any classes under
the direction of Fernande Kaeser nor any recollection of performing in any ensemble that may have accompanied Ms. Kaeser.

Unfortunately, other than her name, and appearance which was refreshed a bit by this photograph, the Author of this essay remembers very little about Ms. Kaeser.
The Author recalls that Ms Kaeser was small in stature, (five-foot two according to web page referenced below) perhaps petite with a reclusive or perhaps even possessing a painfully shy personality. Ms. Kaeser did not seem to socialize or engage with other Music Faculty members. And, other than her own assigned piano students, did not seem to engage with other Music Students or attend music student recitals with any type of frequency.

The Author does recall attending at least one and possibly two faculty recital’s where Fernande Kaeser performed.

However, here is an excellent essay about Fernande Kaeser that is published on a Blog called ‘From Beyond the Stave’. This essay provides some interesting hints about Ms. Kaeser’s ‘less than out going’ personality.

This essay most notably indicates that in the early 1950s Fernande Kaeser won the top piano prize at the Geneva International, one of the relatively few such contests which really counted at that time.

Of all of the music faculty members, Fernande Kaeser seemed to be the one of the most faculty members who seemed to be disengaged from all aspects of the great many things that the University of Massachusetts in Amherst had to offer.

Here is a recording of Fernande Kaeser performing Mendelssohn Variations serieuses op.54 that is hosted on YouTube.

The YouTube comments on this fine recording are worth a read. Some of her former students commented on YouTube and praise both Fernande Kaeser’s teaching and performance skills.