The San Francisco call., 1897-01-12
MUSICIANS TO
FORM A CLUB
They Organize an Exclusive
Society in This
City.
Only Professional Players Can
Gain Admittance to Mem
bership.
The New Rooms Will Have Comforts
Not Afforded at the Union
headquarters.

The musicians of San Francisco have a
new and somewhat exclusive club OF their
own, and all they now need is cozy set
of rooms to make every thing complete.
They have perfected their organization,
elected officers and board OF trustees
and given the club rame, in addition 10
which bylaws and a constitution nave
been adopted.
The name of the new society is the
"Orpheus Musical Club of San Francisco
The objects are stated as purely social
the friendly intercourse of professional
musicians. and this implies the advance
ment of mem bers IN the social scale. "
the qualifying word professional conf
siderable stress is laid by the clubmen, as
it is said to convey to musician the losa
that its possassor is not merely follower
of some mechanical craft or commercial
occupation and playing for pay whenever
the opportunity offers, but man whose
life is exclusively devoted to music.
In the Musicians Union in tnls City
there are several mem bers who work at
trades during the day and give their spare
time to musical engagements. They don
come under the professional category, lt
seems. since they cannot get into the Or
pheus Club. Also, there is another hne
line drawn by the club with regard to ad-
mission of members-one that can be de-
termined only by the discretion and feel
ings OF those clubmen who cast the
ballot. One black ball in ten Will keep
the applicant out in the cold, and II the
mem bers should decide that he is not
possessed of the requisite social or per-
sonal qualifications he cannot get into the
select circle.
The Orpheus Club is fashioned after
clubs OF musicians in New YORK and
k1- ~ m ne 2
be in high standing in his profession be-
fore he can join the clubs recognized
rule which is said to have certain bene-
ticial influence upon the profession. The
effect is that of degree upon the profess
sional spirit among musicians.
That the club is to be exclusive may be
seen in the limit placed upon the total
membership. The extreme mum ber of its
members shall not exceed $50. and the
active workers in the club say il may not
reach anywhere near that figure. a club
man explained yesterday that that limit
would include all the professional musI-
clans in San Francisco, or at least the bet
ter element, II lines must be drawn.
Membership in the Orpheus Club does
not mean any decrease or weakness in the
| Musicians Union. Members of the club
will retain their allegiance to the pro-
tectiye association and continue as en-
thusiastic supporters OF the union idea as
-
and nothing more. Like the Press CLUB
or any of the clubs" said Charles Cas-
sasa, the band leader.
Mr.. Cassasa with two of his colleagues
organized the club, and almost immedi-
lately the movement gained in momentum
and spirit, so that in week or two it has
become reality.
A meeting was held yesterday at 20
O'Farrell street. About thirty-five char
ter members were present. E. E. Schmitz,
leader of the Columbia Orchestra, was
elected president; E. Rosner, leader of the
Orphenm orchestra, vice. president; A.
Gulterson, second vice-presideBt; Henry
Susman, secretary, and Charles Harrison,
treasurer. The trustees elected are Henry
Heyman, a. Spadina and L. Ritzau. ],
keogh was elected librarian.
A constitution and bylaws were adopted
and the new organization was called the
Orpheus Club of San Francisco. 1t was
decided to close the charter roll when
sixty professional musicians had signed il.
The mum Der of mem bers is already pretty
close to that limit, and the next business
for consideration will be the selection and
furnishing OF clubrooms in some central
Location downtown.