Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-08-26
Director Chapman Plan.
ming for His Program.
Orchestra Will Also Pay Visit
to Augusta.
Arrangements in Progress for a Tour
With Large Orchestra and SoIoists-
Plans for the Concert at Bangor and
in Other Places.

Director William r. Chapman Of the
Maine Music festival, before leaving
this week for New York from his sum-
mer home at Bethel spoke concerning
his plans for the next festival and of
other musical enterprises which he has
in mind. When asked about the plans
for the next Maine festival, Director
Chapman was all enthusiasm as of
yore. He is now on his way to New
York to select music and secure artists
for the next festival which will occur
during October of next year. rather
than this autumn on account of the re-
cent experiment of giving the festivals
in June.
Owing to the fact that we shall
have no festival this autumn" said
Director Chapman, "we have decided
to give monster benefit concert in
the Bangor Auditorium. some time dur
ing the middle week in October
snail engage n star artist for the
concert on my trip to New York this
week
viii Portland have this concerto"
1T is possible. although the matter
mas not been decided thus far
What about the festival program of
a year from this time?"
We'll, it is too far ahead to announce
definite plans, but 1 will say that 1
nope to give one big standard oratorio.
representing a composition that has
never been heard at a Maine festival,
and | am also very anxious to pro-
duce one of the Wagner operas in con-
cert form. The miscellaneous numbers
Will be taken from the compositions
of Schubert, Schumann, Mascagni and
many others of both the modern and
the classical period. while there will be
generous sprinkling of novelties.
More than this l cannot say at present
Tor l have not selected the exact list
of numbers myself. You can say, how
ever, that I shall have the entire pro-
gram of the festival of 1905 well in
hand by the first of September, SO that
the choruses can begin their regular
fall and winter studies earlier than
ever before"
"There is no prospect of another
festival in June?"
No" replied Director Chapman en-
phatically, Il have sounded the senti-
ment of the choruses of Maine
thoroughly and find that the consensus
of opinion ia well in favor of a festival
in the month of October, as in previous
years. While the festival of this year
was well attended, yet the attendance
did not average as high as in former
years and it is thought, with reason.
that the summer season and the usual
outdoor diversions that are coming on
just at that time had much to do with
the falling off in receipts. No, the good
old month of October is coming back to
us as a festival month and 1 believe
that l can assure you that the same
high standard of concerts which has
been in evidence at all of the festivals,
will be fully maintained, if not sur
passed.
by the way" added Mr.. Chapman,
81 am going to give the music lovers of
Maine a series of orchestral concerts
this winter under the auspices of the
various local ChOruses, that should
prove very interesting. I hope to unite
the Portland Symphony orchestra and
the Bangor Symphony into one organi-
Zation and tour the state with an
eminent prima donna as soloist. This
will give an orchestra of so or so
counting the few New York
and Boston men that I shall engage to
assist. With this combination, / hope
to give local concerts in Lewiston,
Portland. Augusta, Bangor, Waterville.
Rockland and many other cities and
towns along the line. These concerts
will not be a money-making project i'm |,
any sense of the word. but principally
for the benefit of the local choruses and
q leo for tho p,IrDoco Of kaanipp live
interest until the festivals of another
autumn.
II shall call the orchestral rehearsals |
in about there weeks and If all goes
well, hope to extend the tour into Ver- ;,
mont and New Hampshire
This winter I shall devote my atten-
ton and have others also do so to the
of the orchestras in Maine
and the school children's chorus. We
have great orchestra in Bangor and
there is no reason why we could not
have an excellent one formed to repre-
sent the state.
"The education Of school children In
music is a problem to the solving Of
which I shall devote a great deal of
time. The bill introduced at the last
provided for the education
Of school children in music, but this did
not get to the house. 1t passed the
committee and would have gone farther
if we had had the money to push it.
This year every effort will be made to
get it through and that which is so
much needed the musical education Of
the children through the public schools
will be accomplished"