Wendy Gillespie '72

Alumnae Achievement Awards 2012

Early Music Virtuosa, Inspirational Teacher

Thomas Blinkley Award for Early Music America

Wendy Gillespie '72 is an award-winning viola da gamba player, and is regarded as one of the greatest players in the world today. She is currently Professor of Music at Jacobs School of Music and chair of the Early Music department at Indiana University. In addition to her musical skill, she has also been praised as an inspirational teacher and coach. Throughout her career she has conducted workshops and seminars in the United States, Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and remains in high demand for these today. She has also made significant contributions to contemporary music. Gillespie is currently president of the Viola da Gamba Society of America.

While at Wellesley, Gillespie was the founder of Collegium Musicum, a student organization that brings together voices, viols, recorders and other instruments in the performance of music from the 12th to 17th centuries. After graduating from Wellesley, Gillespie attended the Amsterdam Conservatory. During her career, she has performed with the New York Pro Musica Antiqua, Les Filles de Sainte-Colombe, Ensemble for Early Music, Ensemble Sequentia, the Waverly Consort and English Concert. In total, she has played in over 80 recordings for Virgin Classics, Harmonia Mundi, EMI and many others. Since 1994, Gillespie, as a member of Phantasm, has served as resident viol consort at Oxford University. As a member of the two most successful consort groups, Fretwork and Phantasm, Gillespie has shared two Gramophone awards, several Gramophone and Grammy nominations; many “Recordings of the Month”; and twice the French Grand Prix du Disque with her colleagues. In 2011, Gillespie was awarded the Thomas Binkley Award for Early Music America.

Gillespie was a Medieval Studies and Music major at Wellesley.