Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-28
WILL SEND CHORUS
Seventy-f1ve Ottumwans to Con
test in Eisteddfod.
PRACTICE HAS ALREADY BEGUN
Chorus of Fifty Met Last Evening for
First Time and indications are Very
Favorable for ottumwa vocaIists
This Year.
fFrom Thursdays Daily.l

tFiom Thursdays Daily.l
Ottumwa VII be represented at the
annual Welsh Eisteddfod at Des
Moines on New Years day, 1903, by a
chorus of seventy-five we'll trained
voices from the ranks of the Ottumwa
Musical club, and also by several solo.
lists, singers of duets, trios and quar-.
tets. The Ottumwa Musical club will
have one or more members in almost
every contest on the long rogram
for the grand Welsh festival of sons,
and preparations are already under
foot which augur victory for the resi-
dents OF this city
First Practice Successful.
Lest evening the chorus had it's first
practice, meeting at the Schwentker
piano store on South Market street,
and the number present was very
gratifying to Mrs. Frances Clark. who
Will direct the chorus at the Eistedd.
Tod ard also at the annual convention
OF the Iowa State Music Teachers as.
ISOLATION, which will be held in OF
tuinwa next June. Over fifty people
were present at this first practice. sew
eral more than had been expected, and
ali are taking a marked interest in the
affair The majority of those in the
chorus have had previous experience
OF the same kind, and this will prove
valuable to them now Several Choir
uses were rendered, including one
from the oratorio elijah which.
though very difficult was sung ey.
cellently
To Give 4 Concert.
Hon. 7. j. Phillips, who is one of the
/ secretaries of the Welsh Eisteddfod
association, under whose auspices the
festival on New Years day is to be
given, is very anxious for the Ottumwa
singers 10 compete for the larger
prizes which are offered this year, and
1t is very probable that his suggestion
will be followed, by giving a concert
here few days prior to the Eistedd
Tod, then using the money thus raised
to pay the expenses of the singers to
Des Moines. This is looked upon as
good plan as it will give the people
OF the city good opportunity to show
their city pride and their appreciation
of the movement by patronizing the
concert. A special car or two will
probably be chartered for the use of
the Ottumwa party, and it is very prob
able that the singers will be accompa-
MED to the capital city by large num-
Der Of friends.
Prizes Increased.
Tie prizes offered this year by the
!. Eisteddfod association are larger than
they have ever been before. The two
contests in which the big chorus from
this city will enter carry with them
prizes Of $3.50 and $500 respectively
with second prizes OF $10O and $50
me start in practicing has been in
good season, and The work will be kept
up Systematically until the songs have
been learned thoroughly.
Both the songs which the Ottumwa
chorus will sing are by Welsh writer's.
as the event is under the auspices of
the Welsh. The one for which the
big prizes, $3.50 first and S1O0 second.
are offered is Arise, All Ye Nations
an anthem. The other one. for which
the prizes are 500 and $50. is a Welsh
slee, THE Summer" Both are very
pretty songs, though difficult. and the
Ottumwa singers have started on their
practice with an enthusiasm which be-
tokens successful finish.
An Able Leader.
Mrs. Frances Clark, who is to direct
the chorus, is instructor in music in
the Ottumwa public schools. She has
had years OF experience in chorus
work and is recognized among musi-
cal people throughout Iowa and the
west as one of the most able instruct
ors IN this line in this part OF the
country She has admirable success
with the children in the public schools
and with adult voices she has every
opportunity to do much better Of
tunlwa's chances are made brighter
by the fact that i'll the chorus are
some OF the best known and ablest yo
calists in the city.
TO Sing oratoro.
Along with the work of practice
and preparation for the Eisteddfod. the
chorus will practice for the annual
convention of the Iowa State Music
Teachers convention, which is to be
held in Ottuinwa in June. At that
time there will be present the best
musicians in Iowa and also others
from other states, and the Ottumwa
artists will do their best to present as
good program as possible The cho-
rus OF the Ottumwa Musical club is to
sing an oratorio, but what one it will
be has not as yet been decided. Mrs.
Clark will have charge OF the chorus
for that event also.
Eisteddfod Program.
The program for the Welsh Eistedd-
fod, so far as arranged, is as follows,
the two choruSes in which the Ottum-