Edwina Pierse

Edwina Pierse was born in Detroit. Her parents were accomplished musicians, and her talent for violin, singing, and piano were recognized at a very young age. In 1935, she and her mother made summer trips to California to study violin with noted teacher Peter Meremblum, and a place in his California Junior Symphony, a popular youth training orchestra. Pierse appeared in four movies that featured the Meremblum Orchestra: "They Shall Have Music" (1939) which featured Jascha Heifetz, "There's Magic in Music" (1940), "California Junior Symphony" (a 15 minute short from 1942), and "Song of Russia" (1944). In the Heifetz film, she had a small speaking part. In 1945, Pierse and her family moved to California, where she attended USC. For many years, she taught music for the Long Beach Unified School District. In 1957, she joined the Long Beach Symphony and was made concertmaster (concertmistress) in 1962, a position she held until she voluntarily relinquished it in recent years. She retired only recently from the orchestra.