Selma Franko Goldman

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Selma Franko Goldman -- (August 15, 1853 - January 20, 1932) -- considered a child musical prodigy, was the mother of celebrated American bandmaster Edwin Franko Goldman.

The oldest child of Hermann and Helene Franko, Selma was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Though her parents were not musically inclined, the Frankos sent five of their children -- Selma, Jeanne, Sam, Rachel and Nahan -- to Berlin in 1867 to study two years under German masters. All became proficient with stringed instruments and Selma also studied voice and piano.

Returning to the U.S. in 1869, the five Franko children began an American concert tour, accompanied by operatic tenor Theodor Habelman. "The Franko Family" made their New York debut at Steinway Hall on September 17, 1869. During an appearance in Washington, D.C., Selma and her siblings so impressed 15-year old John Philip Sousa that he decided to become a professional musician. http://adriangriffin.com/Mr.htm

Brothers Sam Franko and Nahan Franko returned to Berlin in 1870 for more schooling. Selma chose to stay in New Orleans, where she married David Henry Goldman, a lawyer, linguist and musician, on March 15, 1871. The Goldmans resided in Louisville, Kentucky, Evansville, Indiana, and Terre Haute, Indiana, occasionally entertaining at charitable occasions. About a year after David Goldman died suddenly in Terre Haute from an aortal aneurysm on December 13, 1886, Selma moved to New York City -- where brother Sam Franko was concertmaster for the Theodore Thomas Orchestra; http://digilib.nypl.org/dynaweb/ead/nypl/musfranko/@Generic__BookTextView/147; brother Nahan Franko was concertmaster for the Metropolitan Opera -- to teach music. http://www.xtrememusician.com/info/artists/profiles/5755.html She gave private music lessons until shortly before her death.

Mayer C. Goldman, another one of David and Selma Goldman's sons, became a lawyer and is known as the "Father of the Public Defender Movement."