Sidonie Goossens, Britain's most acclaimed harpist and the last surviving member of the famous musical family, has died at the age of 105.
Goossens and her siblings dominated musical life in Britain in the last century. Her late brother, Sir Eugene Goossens, was a chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and a composer.
A founder member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, in 1991 she became the oldest person to appear at the Last Night of the Proms when she performed a month before her 92nd birthday. Her family attributed her longevity to her fierceness of spirit.
"She lived to a wonderful age thanks to her positive thoughts and her strong will," her niece, Jennie Goossens, said.
Born in 1899, Sidonie was the youngest of the famous Goossens siblings. Her grandfather, conductor Eugene Goossens, moved to Britain from Belgium in the late 19th century and settled in Liverpool. His son, also called Eugene, also became a conductor.
The grandchildren inherited their musical talents - Sidonie's siblings were Eugene (1893-1962), oboist Leon (1897-1988), horn-player Adolphe (1896-1916) and fellow harpist Marie (1894-1991).
Adolphe died in the First World War but the others went on to have long careers as world-renowned musicians.
Goossens, known to friends as Sid, made her professional debut in 1921."Daddy decided on the harp," she once said. "I wanted to be an operatic singer, but Daddy's choice was the wise one. It gave me a career."
She took part in the first London Symphony Orchestra tour in the 1920s when it was a rarity for women to do so.
In an interview several years ago, she recalled: "I was the only girl in those days. It was such fun. There are lots of women in orchestras now, of course.
"They are so clever and such jolly good players. The only time I don't really approve is at the Last Night Of The Proms when they all come on half-naked and wearing different colours. All those flabby arms are so distracting."
Goossens was the first solo harpist to broadcast, in 1923, and the first to appear on television, in 1936, and was principal harpist for the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1930 until her retirement.
In the 1991 Proms concert, she performed The Last Rose Of Summer with Dame Gwyneth Jones. Her 100th birthday in October 1999 was marked with a concert at London's Wigmore Hall.
She was made a member of the Order of the British Empire in 1974 and an officer of the order (OBE) in 1980.