The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-06-15
|||IlISR SOCIETY OF
WOMEN MUSICIANS,

S2s II .ns,Acn. June 1.-THE society OF
5SSs.san musicians. which has its head
7Srxars ii, London, Is an organizatiofi
(Is,epfnx = very wide field of activities.
SyS chief objects are to afford women
S1A A>nefits OF cooperation, and that
EaS snorate strength. weight. and pres
@IS3a which men have so long enjoyed
4 IN fnrm = center for women's work in
Ssanste; and to put Composers ana
II sS1 Srsatnnts into touch with one an
oxhef. thus giving them the pleasure
sok snterchanging ideas and the stin1u-
- 81 sympathy.
N Certainly women needed something
L ~ the kind, for though execu,ahts
I'M often find congenial openings
sYSAA appreciation. women composers
#End very different experience They
1870 met by an utter disbelief in thelf
sSAd1fty to compose, an absolute indii
#SnrUnce to their aims and EFFORTS whleh
ANenn far harder to struggle against
4 4knn active opposition. and in matters
m performance and publication their
i s&n1H nasYffas were at least twice as
#Sxnat a. those encountered ty men. A
pioneers tnotably DR.. Ethei
Il ny4hl had carved out careers Tor
themselves, bur the position OF the
rnAtOrity remained very unsatstac-
Ishe founders were two friends, both
y Sorrnerly students at the Royal Col
8 lexe Of Music--Gertrude Eaton. sim
g|6ar who has become prominent
sU1rker in social and penal reforms
Il Yasbecial,y uues fgns affecting women
sMnd chsldren) AMI Marion Scott.
\ SSnposer, vioiinist. and writer VINO
n 80 devoted herself To the cause OF
& Uettish music
! Il was early in .stl that the scheme
#0f the Society of Women musicians
q 6ccurred to them, and during spring
yFaltdAys apen:s together IN the New
MN0restn---a piece OF perfectly uncnn-
Nocious symbolism--they formulated
the initial outlines, The next step was
$fo call d meeting of such women com
DOoers ~ might be islts etsted and his
IN turn was 4f@s-e IS init Z t1ovisiona1
secsaneII. Bs-the@ sumrner@-afii T. he
spade work was done, and the society
I successfully launched an inaugural
\ meeting on July Is, asl1.
S This little band Of organze gers In
\ Guided Liza Lehman. the composer.
4. Emily r. Daymond tshe only woman
who has ever passed the examination
q tor doctor of music at Oxfordp, kath-
urine Edgar. the composer. Lucfe
!. JOhnstone t'I.ewis Carey"9. singer
! and omposer, and others. and so alb
sooroci were thoy in carrying through
well the wrrls which lay 70 hard that
4 they were amaxed---and 1t may be nd
q l4ed. aTa,ised--when they woke up 10
And they had done something unique,
\ Mpmething which no one had ever
thought or before, In short, that the
& Society OF Women Musicians was the
Il emily organization OF its kind in the
B n Grid
During the early years OF the So
Nctety. the suffrage agitations were at
s&heir height. but the young society re-
4 f1aed steadfastly to become involved
4 II politics. maintaining that Its con-
&aFn was with art. Then came the ire
Snondpra test OF the war. before which
4 111 unwAnted and unnecessary things
@1Animhed. The fact that the Society
on4er9ed from the ordeal with larger
and far wider scope for
work Ii perhaps the best proof OF the
u reality OF it, usefulness. and Gin these
@0bUcuro but stirring times OF social re-
an encouragement for
s&Ae future.
|88 the society In administered by a
<qVI3H0nk &EiCNAE0 Aitoi
4Ann. hon officers and council. with a
Snnmb3r Of subcommittee in charge
s3 special departments How vast a
AGAk OF gratitude the society owes to
z1D Af1t president. Liza Lehman. noble
eAp0mAn and gracious artist. can never
4 Gnnquately be told. She was succeeded
~ Emily r. Daymond I'd. Mus.). who
4 lSas already been referred to, and AFT
S&r her came Cecile c. Chaminade. the
!. .I.2xA = r.
E1ne e. EgEar. Marion NJ. Scott, Ger
ude Eaton, Marie Brema, the emil
Il mt singer, and now the president is
LADY Mary Trefusis, who has done as
Sf2uch. II not more for church music
kAAn any woman OF the present time.
~ n vas singular. and certainly most
4Rliritous, that Nine Chaminade
should have held office in 1el4--the
Skery year when England and France
spafe suddenly called on to stand to-
n D&her against the Hun. She was
1roseFft on June 80 at a concert Of her
1urks given in her honor by the So
|%X1aky Of Women Musicians at the
VI oclian Hall. and after the outbreak Of
slaf, she wrote touching message of
S6pe and sympathy to her "cheres col
s1o0nAs d. IL women's Society"
& 4hat was one OF the most cventful
Il nc3ety Of Women Musicians public
84G0ceffB. but others nave also oeen
n l3eworthy, as. for instance. the one
I&k Wigmore Hall In April, 1913, 10
x1pe funds for the musicians gift TO
Axke troops, when the program con-
I'D entirely of works by men who
SnA Joined the army; or the recent
yncert OF Liza Iehmanns compost
10ns ut Aeolian Hall. when the inter
aroused was 70 great that the con-
(1t had to be repeated the following
ek-on both occasions TO overflow
~ audiences
Sssl1a regards private gatherings. the
riety OF Women Musicians holds "a
(1aic meeting on the third Saturday
k5t4eh month during term. and lee
1eNa and debates are also given from
1e 10 time That the field covered
y been wide IL evidenced by the cub
G4a Chosen. which include such things
The place Of Plain Song In Mod
Musical Education" tDr. r. r..
fY3: Welsh Folk Songs fDr. Mary
4zea,: Music Copyright Bill" Mr..
E1kIn); .Harmonicr, the Mystic
OK Music miss Kathleen
Jeeinger. r. r. s.. University Liver
53 etc.