University of Miami - Ibis Yearbook (Coral Gables, FL)

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Ashe, pulled from its mysterious silk hat six concerts, including five famous soloists and something new for the University — an oratorio. A few changes were made. Because of idackouts and the dimout, Monday nights were not as convenient for concerts, so tradi-tionally-musical Sunday afternoons became the time. As soloist for the first concert, Sgt. Bela Urban, the Hungarian-American violinist who was stationed with the Air Forces on the Beach, gave the audience Mendelssohn—and they loved it. Modestly he smiled and played their requests. Eugenia Honeywell, pianist, headed a program of music ranging from Bach (by the orchestra) to the Saint-Saen piano concerto. An all-Hussian concert, complete with Tschaikowsky’s Fifth Symphony, presented Maria Kurenko, the ’’Russian Nightingale. Kurenko sang more Tschaikow-sky and lilting Russian folk songs. Harold Bauer, who’s really at home at the University, having taught master classes here for several seasons, was star of the fourth concept, and his friends—his audience—kept him playing encore after encore. Mischa Elman, first guest artist ever to appear with the orchestra, just after its founding, returned for a third appearance with his violin. This time lie played the second Bach concerto. Ending the season on an entirely experimental note. Dr. Alloo and the orchestra, with a chorus directed by Robert Reinert, offered Mendelssohn’s “Elijah. Based on verses from the Old Testament, the oratorio is the first of its kind—complete with orchestra. chorus, and soloists—that the University orchestra has ever attempted. After drilling the chorus. Boh Reinert stepped into the baritone role of “Elijah, and delivered the prophet’s stirring words, while Arturo di Filippi sang the tenor solo role, Marian Mc-Crecdy the soprano, and Beatrice Hunt 'lie contralto. A special chorus of six University girls — Rebecca Jackson, Victoria Bennett. Betty Cole, Thelma Sackman, Ethel Newkerk, and Phyllis Schulman—sang the “Lift Thine Eyes sequence. Before the beginning of the season, the orchestra had its difficulties. Last year saw musicians called, one hv one, into various branches of the armed forces. Finally John Bitter, conductor for the previous two years, was also called to the army. Dr. Modeste Alloo, former associate conductor of the Cin-cinatti symphony orchestra, had just joined the faculty of the University Music School last spring. He took the group in hand, and, during the summer, began to reorganize. By the beginning of the school year, key positions had been refilled by men in uniform as wrell as regular University students and other Miami musicians. Five men who had left the orchestra and were stationed with the Army at Boca Raton had obtained permission to come to Miami for rehearsals and concerts this season. These former University students. Herbert Blinn, trumpet; Leland Rees, horn; William LebedefT, horn; James Politis, flute; and John Caputo, clarinet, were all key men in the orchestra. Ami hack of it all was the man who worried. The man who tore his hair and got results. Dr. Alloo breathed the deepest sigh 13

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SCHOOL OF Dr. Rugglos. Dx. Alloo. BeSov. Mr . Beigh. Mi . A hor. Sleunen borg. Mis. Polwoll, Miss Foster. Roth. Collin . DiFilllpi. TIIAIV SI K. T Till UK VS Since early September, tlie Music School hits been in so many places that it is no oddity to sec “Pied Piper ’ profs leading their musical children all over the Gables for an available room. Driven from the Le Jeuiie building by neighbors’ petitions — some gremlin left the violin and brass sections on after dark—the Music School moved westward, establishing itself in one of the girls' dormitories long enough to move in a dozen pianos and violin stands and to discover that the female enrollment was much greater than expected . . . Weary from carrying their heavy instruments, the faculty decided that the ol’ Music Workshop. known as Granada, was the best building around, and with some lumber this former furniture-factory could easily he partitioned into soundproof teaching studios and 12 practice rooms. This decided, carpenters addl'd their rhythmic sawing to the rest of the noise and the Music School had a permanent address. Music theory and education held classes in the Main building, until the Navy sliced off the second floor for them-sel es; then hack came the classes to Granada. During these excursions, the faculty members were calm and tolerated the game of hide and seek with their students. Despite the war's infringement upon male students and room Space, the profs continued their courses, seriously and conscientiously, and the students paced beside them. When we asked Dean Bertha Foster what the music school accomplished this year, she retorted, Above all. we competed with Physical Training classes. The symphony committee, however, would say. Above all we managed to produce a symphony season.” And they did. A varied and successful season. The committee, made up of Miss Foster. Conductor Modeste Alloo, Franklin Harris, Mrs. Marie Volpe, and Dr.

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Concert artists for the year were Mlscha CIman. Harold Bauor. Eugonia Honeywell. Sgt. Bella Urban, and Madame Kurenko. of relief when the season was over. But he liad done it before. Before coming to the University of Miami, he had conducted the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music orchestra and organized and directed the Cincinnati Municipal Band. During the first world war, he was in charge of music at Camp Devens, Mass. He came to the United States from Belgium to play first trombone with the Boston symphony orchestra. In Belgium he had served as professor of music at the Bruges conservatory, from which school he won his doctor's degree. All the worries of the music school, from what to do for classrooms to where Karl Kruse left his trombone, are taken to Miss Foster, superintendent of the entire Music personnel. In spite of yearly resolutions to cut down on her activities, she's still the busiest woman on the University campus. Aside from her endless duties in the school, she teaches organ. 14 leads a choir, and plans weekly entertainment for the armed forces. Under her supervision are classes in piano, voice, instruments for hand and orchestra, theory, and education. Head of the string department. Joel Belov, assistant conductor of the orchestra, is largely responsible for the bowing, phrasing, and interpretation of the stringed instruments. Author and composer of several hooks on violin instruction, Belov studied under Auer and Bloch, and for a while was instructor at Curtis institute of Music. Young Alan Collins teaches 'cello for the string department, and conducts freshman classes in musical theory. Head of the theory department ami director of the Twenty-Seventh Avenue Center division of the University is Tom B. Steunen-berg, at least six-feet-two of pure musician. A graduate of the Michigan school of music, he has taught all forms of theory orchestration, counterpoint, and harmony—for the past five years at the University. Mrs. Hannah Spiro Asher. Ralph Roth, and Joe Tarpley compose the piano department and combine the influence of their varied personalities on piano students. Mrs. Asher, artist pupil of Leopold Godowsky and instructor in Europe, offers individual instruction ami conducts forums in interpretation and accompanying. Mr. Roth has taught most of the beginning piano students enrolled in school, and Mr. Tarpley has continued to give lessons while holding a heavy war job. The vocal department is headed by Arturo di Filippi, director of the Miami Opera Guild, who offers his students operatic experience in the Guild's productions. Robert Reinert. youngest of the group, is director of choruses and aided in the installation of Miami's first successful choral society. It was out of this society that the production of “Elijah grew. Enthusiastic Sarah Folwell completes the department staff. Herself a soprano, she teaches voices of all ranges and types. Part-time instructors of the clarinet, flute, and drum include three University graduates.