The age-herald., 1901-08-26
Letters Sent Out in Attempt
 to Increase Membership ?
.fEE FIXED AT $5 PER TICKET
Organization Already Perfectine Plans for the Next Festival-Decide Not to Ask for
 Guarantee.

The Birmingham Choral Society which was organized last June, has now con- tributlng membership of nearly two hum dred, but a systematic effort is being made to increase this number to att least seven hundred.
 The secretary has prepared the follow ing circular, which he will mail this week to music lovers and citizens in gem eral.
 A Appeal to Music Lovers.
 "The Birmingham Choral Society pro- poses to continue the May Festival suc- cesses of the past three years. The May Festival of last spring was one of the grandest musical events in the history of the Southern States The Theodore Thomas Chicago orchestra, under MT. Thomas direction, rendered two superb instrumental programmes with vocal and instrumental soloists of national fame. and the orchestra and a local chorus of two hundred voices, under the direction of Prof. B. Guckenberger. director Of the Birmingham Conservatory of Music, combined at each concert in the interpre- tation of some of the greatest oratorio and operatic compositions known to the music world.
 'The expensive guarantee given the Thomas orchestra was more than met by the receipts and not guarantor was called upon to make good his guarantee. The Choral Society will more than du- plicate this years May Festival success next spring, and will also give a few high class concerts during the year. The society has decided to put the May Fes- tival and all other concerts given under It's auspices within reach of everybody's pocket book and for each $5 (paid in scriber two season tickets, emitting the holder to two reserved seat admissions. This reduces the price of admission to the May Festival concerts to a nominal sum and entities the subscriber also to two admissions to every other event dur Ing the season.
 'rhe Society was organized and is d. rected by business men and pledges its faith to carry out all obligations made. Tickets for reserved seats will be issued in regular order to each subscriber as subscription is received.
 ''Very respectfully,
 JOHN L. PARKER,
 Secretary and Treasurer"
 The board of directors of the society is composed of E. Lesser R. s. Munger E. H. Andrews, Robt. Jemison, E. w. Bar aff II T Klotz, c. P. Orr, Rufus N. Rhodes, J. J. Smith, John L. Parker.
 Mr. Lesser is president Judge Banks Is vice president, and B. L. Michailson Is librarian.
 VIII be Musical Director.
 Mir. Guckneberger took part in the or- ganization and 1t Is understood that he will accept the position of musical direc- tor upon his return to Birmingham Oc- tober 1. He announced before leaving for his vacation that in the event of his training the chorus for next years fes- tival he would select only short works for performance. He mentioned three which he would probably rehearse, Flora Novissima" by Horatio Parker, "The Skeleton in Armour" by Arthur Foote, and "Phaudrig Cahoore'' by Villien Stanford. Each of these works is modern and each will be new in Birmingham.
 As to subscribing members each person enrolled will be allowed to have as many memberships as he or she chooses to pay for. For example. R. S. Munger has al- ready subscribed for ten memberships which entitle him to twenty season tick cts for the festival and twenty to all other entertainments given under the auspices of the society during the winter
 Under the choral societys plan no guarantee for the music festival will be asked,