Evening star., 1939-05-11
Music Week
Marked by
Federation
Program Follows
Annual Banquet
OF Clubs
By ALICE EVERSMAN.

A most enjoyable program followed
the annual banquet of the District
of Columbia Federation of Music
Clubs given last evening at Hotel
2400 on Sixteenth street. The ban
quet and program, together with the
Sacred Choir Festival, were part OF
the local celebration of National
Music Week. The guest of honor was
Commissioner Melvin c. Hazen. who
was to have shared the distinction
with DR.. Hans Kinder. but the
latter was called suddenly out Of
town and letter of regret from
him was read by Eva Whitford Low
cite, president of the District fed
Grafton, who presided. When all
the members of the clubs in the fed
Grafton were present, the Doxology
was sung by the entire assembly.
During the dinner an attractive
French Canadian folk song, "Alou-
ette," was sung by the Lovette
Choral Club, to whom Mrs. Lovette
paid tribute for their enthusiastic
cooperation for the several years
of the existenct of the club. Fran
else Bass Wilson was the leader of
the singing and Elsie L. Crammer
the accompanist. Following the Lov-
cite Club was a choral number by
the Washington Opera Guild, Nine.
Gurle Luise Correa, director, with
Violet Breeding as accompanist.
Mr.. Hazen spoke of his wish that
Washington might be the home of
all the arts and congratulated the
federation on its contribution to the
cultural life of the city.
The musical program proper was
opened by the Papas Hawaiian En-
semble, Harry Broderick, Kenneth
White. Lloyd Parks, Arsenic Gale
and Ainnah Bryant, which played a
medley and an encore in which the
splendid tonal blending of the sew
eral fretted instruments gave rich
effect. Marjorie Brett. soprano,
winner of the last student musicians
contest, whose voice is of an un-
usually lovely lyric quality, sang,
with pronounced success. Arditti's S
I'll Bacio' and as encore Curran's s
Rain" Miss Brett was accompa-
MED by Terra BARLEY Fells. Tatiana
Gnoocheff, popular dancer and
teacher, demonstrated her skill and
artistry in gypsy dance in costume
and by request later in the program
Russian peasant dance, accompa-
MED by Starr Preston Tew.
In a talk on THE American Idiom
in Music" with piano illustrations,
Henry Gregor, pianist composer,
held the interest Of the assembly by
his clever analysis and amusing
choice of numbers in which he
showed the close relation between
the popular music of yesterday and
today in this country and the works
of greater value by several of the
most noted European and American
composers. Francis Barnard, basso
winner of the young artists con-
test, then sang the "Wotan's Fare
we'll" from Die Walkuere." which
showed his voice to the best advan-
tage, ably accompanied by VILLA
Semple at the piano.
/ The program concluded with two
duets sung by Evelyn OFT. soprano
Of Norfolk, Va. and Wendell Out
land, tenor Of New York. guest ar
fists of the evening, with Dorothy
Porter at the piano. Especially beau
tiful was their presentation Of Eric
Coates Bird Songs at Eventide" fol-
lowed by "Un di felice" from La
Traviata," both Of which were en-
Enthusiastically received and which
brought to an end the most success
full annual event staged by the fed
Grafton.