Evening star., 1939-02-26
Symphony Fund Drive
Seeking $4,000
To Reach Goa
Olga Somoroff, Pianist,
Urges Support Of
Orchestra

With eminent musicians lending
their appeals to the campaign to
raise the ninth annual sustaining
fund of $111,00 for the National
Symphony Orchestra,s 1939-40
season, 900 volunteer workers were
scheduled to canvass the city over
the week end to try to bring in the
remaining $4,000 before the final
report meeting Wednesday.
Approximately $4,000 has been
raised in the campaign so far, ac-
cording to latest reports. The final
luncheon will be held Wednesday at
1890 pm. in the Carlton Hotel.
Olga Samaroff, concert pianist
and now a member of the Juilliard
School of Music faculty, who came
to Washington to add her voice to
that of other musicians urging sup
port of the symphony, said she
could remember the day when she
was profoundly ashamed" that the
Nations Capital had no symphony
orchestra.
She recalled the words of a for
eign diplomat who said, "One gets
plenty of material food in Washing
ton. But imagine national capital
without an opera, theater of its
own or symphony orchestra. One
Is physically overfed, but if it were
not for a few visiting orchestras and
theater companies, one would starve
in other directions.
Culture and Inspiration.
A symphony orchestra. she said,
has the same significance as a IL
brary, an art museum or natural
history museum.
''It assures the possibility of pre-
serving great art in the sense of
providing citizens with the expert
ence great music can give to the
human being who seeks culture, en-
lightenment and inspiration" she
declared.
She received her music education
in Europe, she said, where the capi-
tails of the smallest countries, even
the grand duchies and principalities
boasted their symphony orchestras
Is it thinkable, she asked, that the
capital of such a country as the
United States should lack what such
little cities have?
depending solely upon visiting
organizations for musical experience
in Washington" she asserted, would
be like replacing the Library of
Congress with circulating library
situated in New York or Philadel-
phia.'
Nine Samaroff pointed out that
the existence of a symphony or
chestra in a city means more than
a series of concerts. It means the
living presence of fine musicians in
the community, she explained, term
ing the symphony orchestra "the
backbone of local musical life"
Redoubled Efforts Urged.
IF we wish our democracy to
thrive or even survive, we must re-
double our efforts to create and sup
port the things we need in cultural
life, through the voluntary effort
of public-spirited citizens" she de-
clared.
TN a new country built upon the
principles of democracy each indi-
vidual can and must play his part
in cultural development To the
efforts of the individual, we owe
our libraries, museums, art galleries
and symphony orchestras wherever
they are. The donors and support
ers of such things, whether they give
millions or subscribe to balcony
seats for a series of concerts, have
gi'en life blood to our democratic
system. We cannot eXist-culturally
speaking-without them, and should
we hope to enjoy the benefits of
democracy if we shirk the respon-
sibilities it imposes upon each of us?
THE National Symphony Orches-
ira of Washington, it's splendid
leader, Hans Kinder, and the fine
men and women who are sparing no
effort to maintain this indispensable
cultural feature of life in the Ma
tional Capital deserve the full sup
port OF every Washington citizen,