April 20, 1922
MUSICAL CO UR I E R
8
KAJttL W. GKHRKENS,
professor of musie, Oberlin College, newly elected president of the Music Supervisors’ National Conference.
in recital for the Musician’s Club of Richmond, Va., on April 24. Mine. Sundelius is finishing her sixth consecutive year as a Metropolitan artist. She will appear in the spring-festivals at Spartanburg, Greensboro, Newark and Mt. Vernon (la.), and then join the Scotti Grand Opera Company for the final fortnight of its spring tour. Mme. Sundelius will devote October and the early part of November to concerts before she rejoins the Metropolitan.
John G. Freund Addresses Music Students’ League
A meaty, instructive, and very warmly received address was made by John C. Freund, editor of Musical America, before the Music Students’ League last Sunday afternoon at the Art Center, when about 300 members and guests of the organization were present. Mr. Freund compared European teachers and musical conditions with those of the United States, and his points were nearly all in favor of the latter. Following the Freund address, Augusta Lenska, of the Metropolitan Opera House, sang several numbers and aroused tremendous enthusiasm with her exceptionally fine voice and fervid delivery. The league then held a business meeting at which it was decided, among other things, to send a telegram of sympathy to John McCormack, and to give a concert at Town Hall in May (with the assistance of well known artists) for the purpose of raising a fund with which to provide permanent clubrooms for Music Students’ League. Other speakers of the afternoon were J. Fletcher Shera, Leonard Liebling and several of the students, among them the Misses Spear, Robinson, Sisson, etc.
Artist from Charles Cooper’s Studios in Concert
The following comment which appeared in the Jackson Heights News concerns Marguerite Smith, an artist-pupil of Charles Cooper:
The piano recital given last Saturday afternoon by Marguerite Smith, assisted by Ethel Karsay and some of Mrs. Smith’s pupils,
MARGUERITE SMITH,
pupil of Charles Cooper.
was a very enjoyable occasion to those fortunate enough to hear it. The spacious rooms of Vice-President and Mrs. Randall were thrown open for the occasion and were well filled with lovers of good music.
The program was admirably rendered both by teacher and pupils. The former revealed breadth of technic and interpretation as well as delicacy of execution, and the latter an ability that reflected much credit upon their training.
. Mrs. Karsay’s singing quite captivated the audience; she graciously responded to encores, as did Mrs. Smith.
Charles Cooper, of Manhattan, the well known pianist, was among those _ present. As the teacher of Mrs. Smith, he was deservedly gratified with the event.
also be at Bush Conservatory and will commence her teaching May 24, and continue into the fall and winter.
FITCHBURG ALL READY
FOR ANNUAL FESTIVAL
Fitchburg, Mass., April 10.—The Fitchburg Festival “Foreword,” issued by the Fitchburg Choral Society to past subscribers and to other music lovers, has recently appeared and has brought about an immediate response in an unusually gratifying demand for seats at the coming festival on April 27 and 28. While Fitchburg has suffered in common with other industrial cities as a result of the recent business depression, it is already evident that the annual music festival is an event not as susceptible to general business conditions and temporary disturbances as less pretentious events of a musical nature. The Foreword this year is an attractive booklet, giving the entire festival program and much interesting information regarding the works to be presented, and the artists. The distribution of this annual booklet is invariably the signal for a rush of seat orders and, as in previous seasons, it is evident that the permanent subscribers who receive the advance publication are going to respond to the extent that the general public will not be called upon for more than the customary support to insure capacity audiences at all of the festival concerts.	C. C. M.
Sigma Alpha Iota Elects Officers
Officers of Sigma Alpha Iota, the national musical sorority which has been holding its annual convention at the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, were elected as follows: National president; Hazel Ritchie, of Lincoln, Neb.; vice-president, Esther Arneson, Grand Forks, N. D.; recording secretary, Mildred O’Dell, Grand Forks, N. D.; corresponding secretary, Bernice Thompson, Lincoln, Neb.; treasurer, Rosemary Scott, Cincinnati, Ohio; historian, Eleanor P. Furminger, Boston.
Miss Ritchie, the sorority’s newly elected national president, is a graduate of the music department of the University of Nebraska, of which faculty she is now a member. Miss Furminger, the New England member among the national officers, is a senior at the New England Conservatory, where she has been studying in the piano department for several years past.
The Sigma Alpha Iota delegates were entertained Saturday afternoon, following their motor trip to Concord and Lexington, at the Brookline home of Mrs. F. Addison Porter. The banquet which brought the convention to a close at the Copley Plaza Hotel was attended by fifty-three delegates and members of the local chapter.
Chapman Stars Score on Tour
The spring ■tour of William R. Chapman and his artists closed at Biddeford, Me., on March 24, and was a great success. There were twenty-five concerts in all, and appearances were made in New. York, New Hampshire and Maine. The artists presented in the Chapman series were Julia Floyd, coloratura soprano; Everett Bishop, bass baritone, and Gabriel Engel, violinist. As a conductor^ of orchestral .and choral organizations Mr. Chapman long since won a name for himself, and he also is a pianist of great ability. The critics in the various cities were very enthusiastic in their praise of his work at the piano while on tour with his stars. One of the dailies stated that Mr. Chapman’s accompaniments were marvels of beauty and when he accompanies he seems to fire everyone with his enthusiasm. Mr. Chapman’s tour of 1923 already has been booked, and he sta'tes that guarantees have been offered him for more concerts than he can accept.
Sundelius to Give Richmond, Va., Recital
Marie Sundelius, whose creation of the part of Anna in Catalini’s “Loreley” has proven one of her outstanding leading roles at the Metropolitan Opera House, will appear
Sevcik to Be at Bush Conservatory in Fall
Word that the famous violinist and pedagogue, Otokar Sevcik, is to be a permanent member of the faculty of the Bush Conservatory and resident of the city of Chicago has come as very welcome news, not only to the city of Chicago but also to the whole of music-loving America, and President Bradley is to be congratulated on securing this great master for his faculty.
When this great master and composer of technical studies for the violin returned to his home in Czecho-Slovakia in February there were many rumors broadcast concerning his future plans, some saying he was to remain in his native land, some asserting he would return to New York, and a few mentioning Chicago. Therefore, it was welcome news
OTOKAR SEVCIK,
famous violinist, who will teach at Bush Conservatory.
to Chicagoans when the rumors were substantiated and it was definitely known Chicago was to be favored with the advent of this notable artist.
To Sevcik’s credit as a teacher belong a long list of world famous artists. Included in the list are the following : Efrem■׳ Zimbalist, Jan Kubelik, Jarislov Kocian, Emanuel Ondricek, Erika Morini, Karl Flesch, Waclav Kochansky, Hugo Kortschak, Andrea Proudfoot, Sascha Culbertson, Mary Hall, Karl Prochalska, and endless others of prominence. Small wonder it is then that violinists of America are eager for the opportunity to study with this noted instructor.
As a composer of technical studies for the violin Sevcik’s position is unique. His exercises and studies are standard and have done a great deal to produce extraordinary technical virtuosity in violin playing. He is at present working on a resumé of his technical books and is adding to this a new edition of the violin masterpieces of the world. This compilation is the most important thing that has been done in violin literature for more than fifty years, and its publication is anxiously awaited.
Professor Sevcik is to begin his teaching at Bush Conservatory in October, and the friends of this institution are justly proud of President Bradley’s master stroke of progressive artistic policy. For it brings to many the opportunity of studying with this very conspicuous figure in the world of music who otherwise could never hope for the privilege. It has always been the policy of President Bradley to establish a permanent faculty with reasonable prices that can be met by all.
Andrea Proudfoot, Sevcik’s only assistant teacher, will
Olive MARSHALL
SOPRANO
Soloist with
THE ORATORIO SOCIETY
of NEW YORK
“ST. MATTHEW PASSION״
April 13, 1922
“THE MESSIAH״
December 28, 1921
THE NEW YORK EVENING' POST.
The new soprano made a decided’ hit from the very beginning of “There Were Shepherds.״ Miss Marshall has the personal charm, the clear, round, soft voice, and the feeling necessary to constitute a really good interpreter of the spirit of Handel’s oratorio.
THE NEW YORK TIMES.
She brought to oratorio rich gifts of native beauty, such as once were brought to it by a young New England girl whose name was Lillian Norton, the later Mm?. Nordica. With all modesty of a first appearance, there was in Miss Marshall’s singing the early bloom of voice, the serene ease in poised flight among lofty top-notes of Handel, that carried delight to her hearers.
Exclusive Management: HAENSEL & JONES, Aeolian Hall, New York City