The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-09
PRESIDENT TELLS
 MUSICCLUB VIEW ! ON AUDITORIUM
Mrs. Chandler Discusses Situation In Formal
 Statement

A a
 j Mrs. B. G. Chandler, president of the Birmingham Music Study club, Mon day outlined in formal statement the attitude of that organization relative to the administration of the new mu- nicipal auditorium. The statement fol- lows:
 S"As the name of the Music Study club has been used in connection with some controversy regarding /the mu- nicipal auditorium, for the benefit of the public, and our membership, especi- ally. wish to state our position.
 For 15 or 20 years the Music Study club, has sponsored, urged and hoped for municipal auditorium for Bir- mingham, where large capacity would afford every citizen an opportunity of hearing the best music at the lowest possible price.-
 "Tast season the club, being a civic organization, was fortunate enough to secure the high school auditorium for its course of concerts and received the most cordial and hearty welcome from Dr. c. B. Glenn, superintendent of the city schools, and the entire staff in charge of the beautiful new high school, only nominal fee being charged the club for its use.
 "This season the club has again en- aaged in high school for its artist con certs, as it was found, ideal for our purposes and large enough for our mem- bership, which wa hope this season will reach the 2,000 mark.
 "The board of the club, however, had hoped that the new municipal audi torium would be available for the or ehestra concerts, and especially for the children's matinee, where it had dreamed of seeing 5000 or 5000 chil- dren given the privilege of hearing the mosAf beautiful concerts possible (that of Ehuge symphony orchestral at fee within the reach of every home in our big industrial city.
 However; the prices fixed by Mir. Erickson for ourlNse of the auditor inn we regard as prohibitive. We sought the auditorium for our sym phony orchestra concerts. The audi torium was to be~used for the St. Louis Symphony orchestra, us a part of our regular concert course, and the price was made atT$200. For the Min iieapolis SymphonN orchestra, matinee and night, the prize was fixed at 10 per cent of the gross receipts. Of course, these prices absolutely prevent the use of the auditorium by our club. We feel that, as our work is purely cultural, with no element of lnoney-making connected with it, we should have been given rental price that would have enabled us to use this large auditorium and charge >an ad- mission so > low that it would have meant almost universal opportunity to hear the concerts.
 "The music club holds a unique posi- ton in the city as a manager of con certs, as it is the only organization presenting concerts whose object is mu. sical culture and n4t as a money-mak. ing medium. Every cent accuring from concerts is put back into the club treasury and used continuously for mu sical development.
 y ''The artist course for the coming season is an "all star course" consisting of Alebrt Spaulding, one of America. foremost violinists Claire Dux, unex celled as a soprano; Reinald Warren rath, the universally popular baritone Josef Holman, one of the world: greatest piano virtuosos (who has nevel played in Birmingham before), and thG St. Louis Symphony orchestra with as sisting solosits. t
 '"The Music Study club is always happy to give the Birmingham public the very best and has arranged for tho above courses at a cost of $6, 800, whicl added to $425, cost of high school au ditorium, with $2,eO0 spent annual, by the club on publicity, director ot chorus and incidehtals, brings tht clubs financial obligations to at leas 5000.
 Depending upon the hearty support that the Birmingham public has always given the club, the faithful wome1 cheerfully assume these obligations ana willingly give all time and energy neces sary to assure a most successful sea son."