| | LEVEL OF DESCRIPTION: | Fonds | | No.: | PR2984 | | TITLE: | Women's Musical Club of Edmonton fonds | | CREATOR: | Women's Musical Club of Edmonton | | DATE RANGE: | 1935-1966 | | EXTENT: | 0.01 m of textual records | | ADMINISTRATIVE | | HISTORY/BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: | The Women's Musical Club of Edmonton was founded on 30 October 1908 as the Ladies' Musical Club of Edmonton. It underwent three changes of name (Edmonton Musical Club, 1910; Women's Musical Club of Edmonton, 1912; and back to Edmonton Musical Club, 1970-1973) in 65 years of continuous existence. It was organized to promote musical activities among its members involved in a ladies' chorus formed by Vernon Barford and a ladies' orchestra led by Mrs J.B. Carmichael.
As Edmonton grew, cultural activities expanded. During the largest part of the 20th century the Club brought to Edmonton musicians, choristers, singers and dancers of international fame. The Club sponsored an annual celebrity series where the best artists in other countries were invited to perform in Edmonton. Between 1922 and 1928 the Club presented in recital, such celebrities as Kreisler, Heifetz, Rachmaninoff, Galli-Curci, Tito Schipa, and Edward Johnson. The audience came from various places in Alberta to enjoy performances taking place in Edmonton.
Proceeds from the recitals established the Club's scholarship fund which by 1975 had given young Alberta musicians more than $40,000 assistance. The Club also initiated children's symphony concerts and worked to establish the University of Alberta's music department. At its dissolution, 17 May 1973, the Club bequeathed its scholarship trust fund to the University of Alberta.
| | CUSTODIAL HISTORY: | The fonds was deposited at the Provincial Archives of Alberta in 1989 by the Department of Music at the University of Alberta.
| | SCOPE AND CONTENT: | The fonds consists of programs of concerts sponsored by the Women's Musical Club of Edmonton, including mainly performances by the Don Cossack Chorus singers who were former officers in the Czar's Imperial Cavalry. In 1942, 1945 and 1946 the Women's Musical Club of Edmonton had invited the members of the Don Cossack Chorus, the leading musical attraction in the world, to perform in Edmonton.
| | LANGUAGE NOTE: | The material is in English.
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