Constance “Connie” Weldon has died. She is believed to have been the first female tubist to attain a principal position with a major symphony orchestra.
Weldon turned down an offer from the Rio de Janeiro Symphony in the early 1950s to continue her studies in Miami. Soon, she was touring with the Boston Pops. She also played at Tanglewood under Leonard Bernstein.
Later, she became a member of the North Carolina and Kansas City Symphonies. During studies abroad, she served as principal tubist with the Netherlands Ballet Orchestra and acting principal tubist with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam.
Back home, she joined the Miami Philharmonic and became an influential teacher at Miami University. From 1972 to 1991, she served as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies at University of Miami School of Music (now the Frost School).
At the time of her death, she was 88 years-old.