Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-22

unique. advantages resulting from the
effort of these sincere musicians.
Play to Ever Larger Audiences
The history OF the Augusta Sym
phony orchestra and its record of
musical service for the past three
years are familiar to all our citizens.
The announcements of public re-
hearsals have been awaited with
eagerness, and the PUBLIC appearances
have been attended by Increasing au-
diences, until at the last concert,
which was the second for the pres
ent season, the balcony and orchestra
OF the Augusta Opera House were
packed by an audience of upward of
q thousand people, who drank in the
liquid sweetness of the symphonic
music OF the well balanced program
Though many of the present men,
bers OF the orchestra have been con-
| nected with it since it's inception
there have been many changes in
personnel in the four years. Some Of
its younger players have. partly as a
| result of the inspiration and new in
| centive gained by their association
gone from the city to pursue further
and higher education and develop
ment in music Just this week Au-
gusta radio fans during an evening
session with their instruments, tuned
in on WCAD at Canton, N. Y, and
| were greatly surprised and pleased
when they heard the announcement
of violin program by Mrs. Freeman
l.. Burr.
Mrs. Burr was one of the charter
| members of the Augusta Symphony
, and was its secretary until her resig-
nation was necessitated by her re-
moval from the city. Mr.. and Mrs
Burr are now located at Canton. N
Y, where Mr.. Burr is a member OF
the faculty of st. Lawrence Upiver-
sity. The broadcasting station al
Canton. n. Y. is a newly installed one
and was made possible largely
through the interest of Owen D.
Young. chairman of the boaord of di-
! rectors Of the General Electric Com
pany, a former student at st. Law
renee. The WCAD station Is one OF
the best in the northeast and gave
it's first concert on Dec. 30. At a
more elaborate program on Jan. 2
Mrs. Burr was one Of the artists and
will be regularly on the concert pro-
grams broadcast from that station.
Reorsanized This Season
The orchestra has had so or g.
musicians on its rolls but at the start
of the fourth season it was consid-
cred expedient to reorganize the
group, looking to the best possible
balance of the. instruments. AS n
result the orchestra this year in its
public rehearsals has used some 80
instrumentalsts with more violins
than in the past and fewer brass in
struments. There are at the present
time only about half dozen OF the
players who might be said to be pro-
fessional musicians. Besides Mr.. Hill
they are the Messrs. Shaw. Hilton,
Cannon. Davis and Hamel.
At the present time the orchestra
could use more string instruments,
in fact there is an opportunity for
the use of every string Instrumental
ist in the city. In selecting some
numbers for their programs the or
chestra has been restricted because
they were lacking the necessary vol
ume in certain departments. There
are players of ability in this vicinity
who 1t is hoped will soon ally them
selves with this splendid symphonic
organiza ton and with the addition of
more cellos. violas and bass violins.
there is little that the Symphony or
chestra cannot interpret amongst the
best of the compositions of all time.
The organization of the Augusta