The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-24

Choir Work In Birmingham Has Improved Greatly
 Within the Past Few Years Says Miss Norma Schooldr
By DOLLY DALRYMPLE

Miss Norma Scholar one of Birmng-
 hams most cultivated and popular musi-
 clans, writer of note on the New York
 Sun said shortly after Miss Scholars ap-
 pearance in Germany in the title role of
 'lzeyl," Eugene d'Albert's opera: 1 Norma Schoolar is one of the brightest American girls to gain fame in Germany as a dramatic soprano. She has followed in the footsteps of a compatriot, having sung this year the title role in Eugene d Albert's 1zeyl,' which was first pro- duced only a few months ago, when Edyth Walker created the leading role at the I Stadt theater in Hamburg. Miss Scholar, | is native of Birmingham, and began her musical education there. It was not easy for her to get started, for her means were limited and she was helped first by rela- lives and then by friends In Berlin she studied with Richard Lowe. After she had worked year with him the director of the Stadt theatre at Essen heard Miss Schoolar and engaged her immediately. It was necessary, however, for. her to re- main for another year in Berlin to en- large her repertoire. Her first appearance was made, singing Elizabeth in Tam , hauser." She then created the title role in d'Alberts Izeyl. She has also sung such exacting roles as Valentine in Les Hueguenots,' and Lenora in II Trova- tore.'"
 A year ago Miss Scholar returned to Birmingham and organized her classes in voice culture, finding a prolific and an apreciative field for her talent as a teacher, also singing in oratorio and con cert work at various times.
 Miss Schoolar has on all occasions been most generous in her contributions to the musical art of Birmingham, her gracious ness and her sweetness gaining for her large clientele not only of pupils but admirers of her art, and today she Is recognized as one of the foremost expo nest of musical culture in this com munity
 Recently Miss Scholar has assumed the directorship of the choir at the High lands Methodist church, and those who have had the pleasure of hearing her beautiful voice there and also of enjoy ing the splendid work which she has done with the quartet choir readily see that the selection was . Judicious one one that is sure to please and add big unlt 10 choir work in this city.
 In chatting with Miss Scholar a few days ago concerning the progress that the choirs of Birmingham have made within the past few years. she said among other things;
 More than almost any other phase of music since my return to Birmingham more than year ago, I see improve ment-vast improvement-in the choirs of the different churches. I recall with much pleasure and some amusement my first feeble efforts at singing in church. I was just a girl then and my salary was the large sum of S10 month, but I thought that was a fortune in those days. I was the soprano at the First Presbyterian church and at the time was studying with Madame Navarro, who placed me for my first church engagement In those days 1t was quite compliment to be offered any sort of salary and the small sum that l received was not to be sniffed at, because most of the church choirs then were volunteer choirs. You know what that means. .as
 Sometimes at rehearsal there would be full attendance and at other times es-