The Washington times., 1910-06-23
Program Rewards Columbia
Theater Audience Which
Braves Afternoon Heat.
GRADUATES DISPLAY
MARKED ABILITY
Diplomas Awarded-Heads of De-
partments Congratulated Upon
Success of Exercises.

Heads Of departments Of the Wash
ington College Of Music have been re-
ceiving the congratulations OF friends
OF the institution on the program with
which its third annual commencement
was celebrated at the Columbia Theater
yesterday afternoon. II was so well
rendered as to repay not only hundreds
Of friends Of the graduates who at
tended, but a large number OF music
lovers who braved the heat Of the early
afternoon to gain an hours musical
enjoyment The theater had not va
cant seat left by the time the curtain
rose on the graduating class, and much
Of the standing room had been taken
before the first half Of the exercises
was concluded.
The audience was by no means criti-
cal, but much Of its applause was fully
merited.
Following the award OF diplomas TO
the graduating class. a program OF in
strumentaI and vocal numbers was
given by the graduates. assisted by
some of the pupils Of next years class.
Tenor Is AppIauded.
The hOnors OF the afternoon fell to
Richard Pierre Backing, tenor, who
was encored again and again. and TO
Miss Faye humphrey, Mr.. Miller. and
Miss Ada Birch. in the vocal depart
ment. In the piano department, where
ali the pupils and graduates did ex-
cellent work, Miss ErmeH Cohencious
deserves first mention. A child Of
twelve or thirteen, she gave the first
movement Of Beethoven's Concerto in
G Minor with a sympathy and inteIIi-
gence which made 1t one of the most
-,
Miss Roberta Amies is also worthy OF
especial mention for her charming rem
dering of Chopin's "Scherzo" in 3 fat
minor Miss Mary Pauline Olmstead,
for the ease with which she gave the
most difficult number on the program
Memberships &C. Minor concerto,
won much applause William A En-
gel. IT., who had appeared in public
before. did not sustain his usual high
artistic standard yesterday afternoon,
asT T po 6ssns ito i2 seGR a9 majoF
other instrumental numbers on the
program were Rubinsteins Concerto
In u minor. played by Miss Thompson
and Bra ssiu's "NOcturne," played by
Miss Merrill
Friends Congratulate.
Miss Phelps was at a disadvantage
in the vocal number, Dell 'Acqua's
Willamette" which was too ambitious
an attempt for her. physical powers.
Her voice was, however. smooth and
exceedingly pleasing in quality. and the
came criticism applies to Miss Riegel,
who sang Bemberg's 'Nymphes Et
SyIvains." MIR MiIler's fine baritone
was heard TO advantage in a solo, sung
in English, from "paEliacci," though in
this number he was lacking in feel
ing.
Mention must be made of the> work
Goodwin
whose sympathetic accompaniment
added much to the enjoyment Of the
afternoon Upon the CLOSE OF the pro-
gram, S. NJ. Fabian and Sidney Lloyd
Wrightson. heads OF the piano and
vocal departments OF the Washington
College of Music, received the con-
Rratulations of a number of friends or
the institution on the success Of the
exercises
Diplomas Awarded.
Rev. J. Henning Nelms opened the
afternoons program with prayed. The
diplomas and graduates receiving them
IN the vocal department were as fol-
lows:
POSTGRADUATE diploma-Richard Pierre
Backing. District Of Columbia.
Artists diplona-Ada Hendley Birch,
District Of Columbia; Faye ROwena
humphrey. Michigan, Eva Marguerite
Phelps. New York; George Harold NIL
t1E, Kansas
Teacher's certlhcate-Oonna Elizabeth
PieCeI. New York; Edith Louise Red
man. District Of Columbia Harriet
Young Hough, District of Columbia.
Marjorie Hart Moulton. New Mexico
In the piano department tho honor
winners were:
POSTGRADUATE diploma-Helen Roswell
Thomson. District of Columbia
Artists diDloma-ROberta Hope Amies,
District Of Columbia
Teachers certificate-Marcia Lettie
Merrill. Nebraska: Emma Christina
Charnstrom, Kansas; Mary Pauline
Olmstead. Minnesota.