Arthur Jordan Conservatory of Music - Opus Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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Charles Munger Director f ' ' l K i The Con sen atory Band.

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THE INSTRUMENTAL DEPARTMENT ACTIVITIES The instrumental program for the year was initiated early in the semester when auditions were held for placement in the conservatory orchestra, and on Monday evening, October 6, 102 Jordan students met at the Odeon to renew old ac- quaintances and to begin another year of intensive, but enjoyable study under Fabien Sevitzky and his assistant, Leon Zawisza. Full orchestra rehearsals were scheduled for Monday evenings, and sectionals were to be held on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contrary to the practice in former years, the first part of the year was spent in reading the works of old and new composers. Thus, for the first time, the students gained familiarity with a more extensive body of literature than had previously been possible. Serious study of the numbers to be presented on the mid-year concert was begun in the early part of November. After several weeks of intensive and detailed rehearsing, the orchestra gave its first concert of the year at the Murat Temple on Tuesday evening, December 17. Opening this program was Glinka ' s gay overture to Russian and Ludmilla. Then followed the first two movements of Mendelssohn ' s Italian Symphony, which was succeeded by Mozart ' s flowing and lyric concerto for flute and harp. This delightful number was brilliantly played by James Hosmer and Lynne Wainright, members of the Conservatory faculty and solo artists with the Indianapolis Symphony. Leon Zawisza made his first public appearance in the capacity of conductor with the Jordan orchestra, directing the Mozart. Following intermission came a contemporary American suite, Peter Pan and Wendy, conducted by the composer, Dr. Hugo Grimm of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. Completing the program was the uni- versally loved Nutcracker suite, conducted by Mr. Sevitzky. After the concert the Conservatory Symphony broadcast a half-hour program over Station WIRE; playing the overture of Glinka and the Nutcracker suite. A short Christmas message from the Conservatory was given by Miss Ada Bick- ing, director of the Conservatory. The concert and broadcast was attended by a capacity audience whose response marked the performance as highly successful. Inspired by this enthusiasm shown by the music lovers of Indianapolis, the orchestra again started rehearsals in preparation for the concert to be given in the spring. In the meantime, the Conservatory Opera Orchestra under the direction of Mr. Joseph Lautner had been rehearsing with the Matinee Musicaie Chorus and the Indianapolis Mannerchor, and on December 20, these two musical organizations presented Handel ' s great oratorio, The Messiah. The full accompaniment was played by the Opera Orchestra. It is not without pride that we note here that although this was the second year that The Messiah has been presented in Indianapolis at Christmas time by these groups, it has already become a tradition and a regular feature of the holiday season. A new and stimvdating feature of the instrumental program of the year was the class in Orchestral Sight Reading under the supervision of Mr. Renato Pacini, an artist-teacher of violin at the Conservatory and assistant concertmeister of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra. This class met weekly in the Student Hall, and students enrolled spent the entire year in reading the works of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvorak, and many others, thereby broadening their acquaint- ance with the great storehouse of music literature that is the foundation of competent orchestral performance. Returning from the Christmas vacation, the students and faculty members of

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the instrumental department began to make plans and preparations for the series of instrumental soloists and ensemble groups to be presented in Indianapolis and surrounding communities during the second semester of the school year. A recital by members of the woodwind faculty initiated the new semester. Soloists were James Hosmer, flute; Herman Bcilfuss, bassoon, and Clyde Miller, French horn. They were assisted by Lynne Wainwright, piano; Harvey McGvxire, oboe, and Sam Scott, clarinet. The program opened with the Serenade for Wind Instruments, by Karl Hoyer, played by the quintet. Then followed solo and trio numbers by Mr. Hosmer, Mr. Beilfuss, and Mr. Miller. The program was concluded with three short ntimbers by the quintet. Miss Wainwright received special recognition when the quintet played Pastoral, her composition, as an encore. On the twenty-second of February a concert was given at the Odeon in honor of Ignace Jan Paderewski. This concert, under the direction of Joseph Lautner, was given as a contribution toward the National Paderewski Testimonial to honor this great pianist and composer. Excerpts from the composer ' s works were played by Imogene Pierson, Renato Pacini, and Richard Niessink, members of the Conservatory faculty, and by Rosalind Phillips and Joseph Lewis, students. The Odeon again was the scene of a recital on the twenty-sixth of February when the Student Woodwind Ensemble, directed by James Hosmer, presented a diversified and highly enjoyable program. Those students taking part were Eleanor Ellenberger, Beth Ann Brown, Vincent Stouder, Lorene Markle, Nellie Jones, Sidney Flack, Jean Graham, Gail Weimer, Carol Meidema, Richard Foster, Pat Rheinhardt, Paul Harder, Paul Mueller, Paul McDowell, Robert Evans, Verne Jacobs and Pat Pearson. A Rhapsody for clarinet quartet, composed by David Bennett, received especial acknowledgment from the audience. On the fifth of April several members of this group journeyed to Seymour, Indiana, where they appeared before an assembly of high school musicians who had convened to par- ticipate in the Central Indiana Solo and Ensemble Contest. Scheduled to appear early in April, the Conservatory Harp Ensemble, under the supervision of Lynne Wainwright, played before the student body of the high school at Columbus, Indiana, T hey were heard, also, by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. Two weeks later, on the second of April this same ensemble, composed of Mary Louise Houk, Mary Spalding, Mari Wagner, Jeannette Robbins, and June Flaig, appeared in concert at the World War Memorial Audi- torium, and was heard by a large and appreciative audience, whose response marked the program as one of the high lights of the year. During the latter part of the school year several faculty members presented their advanced students in recital. Among these were students of Renato Pacini, violinist; Mary Reynolds and Kathryn McCain, violinists, students of Hugh Mc- Gibney; Richard Foster, oboist, student of Harvey McGuire. Mr. Foster was assisted by a string quartet composed of Kathryn McCain, Virginia Ludwig, Betsy Seitz, and Doris Miller. On the twenty-fifth of April an operetta, composed by Carl A. Dawson, was presented at the Odeon by the Conservatory Philharmonic Choir and the Opera Orchestra. Mr. Dawson is a student of Norman Phelps, instructor in Theory and Composition. Dawson ' s work, skillfully composed and interestingly orchestrated, proved such a success that on a later date it was broadcast from Radio Station WIRE. The major instrumental program of the year was brought to a close during the week of May 5 to 12, with the presentation of the American Festival Program. This annual event, now in its second year, was initiated by Fabien