Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-05-30
Musical
ekCN HALL Los Angeles have a music
festival next spring. is

bring it to a successful issue.
To the making of music festlVal
so happily conducted that it shall form
precedent for annual events extending
down the years must go carefully
thought out plans based on a correct
estimate of the material at hand, an
understanding of local conditions ana
wise consideration of the steps where
by festivals of a similar character
have been established in other commu-
mites.
At present the immediate foreground
is occupied by those good people, the
Elks, and their "doings," but 1t can 90
no harm for those of us who are inter-
ested in a music festival to begin even
now to push the project in season anu
out of season as the next big enter
prise that should claim public atten-
ton. :,
twelve months is not too long In
which to work out the details of a
matter of so great importance, and 1t
should be planned on scale DIG
enough to crafty civic pride ana com
pei respect from the cities already III
the field. ..4,,,.,
Money invested in music lesllVaL
will bring returns as tangible as money
invested in good roads or water sup
NV for a vital art sentiment in COM
munitv is one of the largest posslDie
factors in attracting a desirable resi-
dent class. 1t is also a. business asset
as II speaks plainly of business enter
prise and progressive public spirit.
music festival should be a munlcl-
nal. not a private, venture, ana DC
placed in the hands of q commission
representing our combined civic inter
ests, a body to be held responsible Ior
its success.
We have no proper auditorium Tor
such an affair, but that might be rem
edied in a twelvemonth. The ldeal
setting would be a location out IN
the foothills, where there is natural
amphitheater, something like the Greek
theater in Oakland, where several
thousand persons were present to en-
ioy the Bach musical festival short
time ago. 1t would seem as if the
people of Southern California might go
from Los Angeles to the hills lying
between her borders and Highland
Park, Hollywood, or even out in the
region of Elysian park, where can
vased or other auditorium could be
erected for a few thousand dollars.
The recent concert given by the
woman's orchestra, assisted by the Los
Angeles symphony, has established be-
yond question the presence OF a large
body of trained musicians who would
be available for the largest and most
ambitious orchestral numbers, men and
women WHO, WOIhluS ulluCi Inc beAtOii
of Harley Hamilton, would furnish an
instrumental program that might
challenge comparison with anything to
be found in the east
Miss Cora Foy, who so successfully
financed that concert, has proved that
local business men can be interested in
a purely art project to the extent of
guaranteeing it, and there seems no
reasonable doubt that her plan could
hp q6qntnH t0 the rpnllirpO1pnfS of n
larger church undertaking.
The Orpheus club, the Ellis, the
Lyric and the Salon, with the many
other choral societies already existing
in Los Angeles and surrounding terri
tory. would furnish the nucleus for
on the numbers to be presented by CO.
operation OF the several leaders. This
method was put in successful opera
ton at the time of the N. r. A. con-
Vention here several years ago.
There might be a difference of opin-
ion concerning the matter of soloists,
the question being whether 1t would
be advisable to secure the services of
one or perhaps two first-class artists
from the east as drawing cards. in ad
ditlon to the good music that would
be available from local musicians, or
better perhaps this first year to make
it wholly ''home product" event and
test for ourselves just what we can do
without outside assistance.
But. however these matters may be
finally settled, one thing is certain
if we want a music festival next year
we must begin to work for 1T at or
about this time.
The committee appointed by the city
council to investigate the proposition
of a municipal band reported Tuesday.
A band of at least thirty-five musicians
6 n fn hn .
the best available musicians in the city
and to be organized for a season of
eight months, beginning October l. 1t
was recommended that two concerts a
week be given, the band being avail
able at least once month for the chill
drens Fairgrounds, and at that time to
be divided into two smaller bands.
1t is desired to have the best organi-
cation possible, and an appropriation of
not less than $4,000 was recommended.
A public. meeting of the Los Angeles
center of the American Music society
will be held at the Gamut club house
Tuesday night.
The plans for charging the present
Vons Stein academy of music, as an
nounced in these columns some DAYS
ago, have attracted a great deal of
attention among all classes of people.
What upon first glance seemed an
educational feature of Importance only
to the musical cult of this city, is now
recognized by business people as a large
enterprise which will result in bringing
to Los Angeles vast sums of money
annually.
1t is only natural to suppose, writes
A. j. Waters, cashier of the Citizens
National bank, that the great artist
teachers whom the Won Stein academy
of music propose to engage will attract
hundreds of music students from all
parts of the United States and at pres
emit Los Angeles is sending hundreds
of music students to eastern and Eu-
ropean Conservatives, because our
local artists, no matter how good, have
not sufficient musical prestige to Off
set the lure of famous names held out
by the large eastern colleges.
L. e. Behymer in a speech made at
a luncheon given at the Won Stein
academy May %, called business mems
attention to the fact that no fewer
than 500 out-of-t town students would be
attracted to this city annually by such
a great music college.
He argued that each students living
expenses here could not be less than
81 per day, that for his music lessons
each student would pay at least $50
per month, because such students in
variably put themselves into the hands
of the most expensive masters. Cloth
ing incidentals easily amount to sis
per month more; so that from each
student business people of Los Angeles
may safely expect SIS per month; con-
seduently, 500 students bring the hand
some total to at least $450000 annually
IN Los Angeles.