NER concerts; University of Illinois concert, part two

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Why. Does a performance. Of the Symphony number of floor of. An American composer Charles. With him before he hears 99 in 1960. At 7 a.m. come back to the University of Illinois Symphony Orchestra.

Including. The first part of the centennial concert. In honor of the University of Illinois 100 here without a body University's School of Music. At the University of Illinois Assembly Hall. And the Obama camp. Out in the audience asking Mr. Dimon to return. And. Question from the office of the stand I'm fine with a member. On the second part of today's concert the University of Illinois concert choir sing selections by four American composers Charles Ives Samuel Barber Aaron Copeland and Robert Wright and then the combined forces of the university oratory of society

and women's glee club in our city men's glee club and the university chorus and the University Symphony Orchestra all performing forces under the direction of Harold Decker. Will perform the return of Odysseus by Earl Phillips. Right now it's intermission time at the assembly hall and as we told you earlier we have a special intermission feature concerning the University of Illinois centennial year this is the University of Illinois radio service. This is John Regnault educational program supervisor to be University of Illinois Radio Service speaking to him from Studio B here on our Amana campus. Today's concert program is not a traditional one. This might be surprising since the

University of Illinois is now celebrating its centennial year the music in today's program is a sample of American music composed within the 100 years of the University of Illinois existence. The concert is co-sponsored by the School of Music and the university Centennial Committee and is just one of the many events scheduled for the University of Illinois centennial celebration. In fact this program is a repeat of the centennial concert originally presented in Chicago's Civic Opera House on April 23rd. The concert and the school of music were highly praised by the Chicago critics for their interpretations of some of the most difficult material in contemporary American music. But music has been with the university since its inauguration in March 1868. During that time students gathered together in small groups for chamber music programs. Later students and faculty joined together in bands in orchestras like other institutions the

University of Illinois takes pride in its firsts. The School of Music at the University of Illinois claims the distinction of being the first school of music in a state supported University. Formal instruction in music began in 1892 three years later. The school of music was created and placed in the College of Liberal Arts. The school had its first Dean in 1897 and music instruction was reorganized. One of the main features of this reorganization was the ending of the students having to pay extra fees for a private musical instruction. This opened up the rather closed field of music to those students who would normally be unable to pay the extra cost of necessary musical instruction. Captain Thomas J Smith then a member of the university's board of trustees insisted upon this change. Today 700 professional music students and eight hundred nine music

majors receive instruction each year in a full programme of education on the undergraduate and the graduate levels. Centering on the square brick Smith Memorial Music Hall adjoining the university's quadrangle in Abana. The school has more than 100 faculty members many of them have earned wide reputations as artist lecturers performers composers and researchers. Since 1931 the School of Music has been an integral part of the College of Fine in Applied Arts. One advantage of a large university is the superior caliber of musicians attracted to the University of Illinois as guest artists and lecturers in the not so distant past. These artists have included composers Paul Hindemith Igor Stravinsky Elliott Carter and Aaron Copeland whose choral work the Lark will be presented in the second half of today's program.

Incidentally the highlight of the second half of the programme will be Beryl Philips the return of Odysseus. This work was originally commissioned by the university and the frum foundation for the 1957 festival of Contemporary Arts a biennial celebration here on the Urbana campus. Beryl Philips was on the faculty at the time. But his connection with the University of Illinois goes deeper than just a faculty one. He was the great nephew of Thomas J Burrell acting regent of the university from 1891 to 1894 and one of America's leading scientists of the 19th century. Although the champagne Urbana campus represents the hub of musical instruction at the University of Illinois the very size of the school allows freedom for important activities on the state and national levels. The work of the extension and music program is well known throughout the United States since it

arranges tours for ensembles and faculty artists extramural courses clinics workshops conferences and symposia in service education and consulting service for teachers and school administrators on the state level primarily one of the major extension in music projects is the highly successful summer youth music program which consists of 14 two week camps here in Urbana designed for pre college age youngsters. But size also brings problems. The University of Illinois School of Music is now scattered in many buildings surrounding the campus. Many of these buildings are converted houses but the university will soon have available the facilities of the new credit Center for the Performing Arts as it begins its second century. The center will be an educational facility for students in music theatre and dance. It

will consist of four separate auditoria connected by carefully planned functional areas and related by architectural design. Included in the center will be a large concert hall a smaller music auditorium a drama auditorium and an experimental theater. Even outside terraces of the Center can be used for dramatic or concert purposes. Most importantly the center will have two floors of classrooms underneath the auditorium. Practice rooms for student groups as well as offices dressing rooms and workshops. The Credit Center for the Performing Arts which will stand on a two block square on the east campus will cost about 18 million dollars. More than 10 million dollars of this coming from gifts Mr. and Mrs. Herman see Krannert of Indianapolis are the major donors Krannert an alumnus of the university and a member of the University of Illinois foundation is

chairman of the board of inland Container Corporation of Indianapolis University of Illinois President David Henry has called the center a new dimension and said it will enable the University of Illinois to fulfill its potential in music drama dance and related arts. Dr. Henry pointed out that a number of performing groups at the university have become nationally and internationally known for their work. This center will give them a single place for practice and performance. The Credit Center will also provide another service to the university. It will help attract even more outstanding faculty and artists away from the urban areas and bring them to the university's campus. Like so many other departments and schools in a large university the very beginnings of the School of Music cannot be fully attributed to any one individual. However many have had a guiding hand in shaping the present organization.

The present dean of the College of Fine applied arts is Alan S. Weller the director of the School of Music is to Wayne Rhatigan the director of the University Symphony Orchestra. As Bernard Goodman and the director of choral groups is Harold Decker. Each of these men have a reputation in their own fields and in education generally. Professor Goodman was the conductor of the first part of our program today. Professor Charles Delaney was his assistant the conductor of the second part will be Professor Decker. The School of Music is an important part of the university's ongoing search for excellence in all fields. With the credit Center for the Performing Arts opening a new gateway to the future the performing arts at the University of Illinois promise new excitement and enjoyment. Certain propositions remain as the foundation of the University of Illinois the university community is reaffirming its faith in the continuing validity of the great ideas which have characterized its

beginning and growth wide educational opportunity development intellectual cultural and spiritual resources and the interaction of instruction research and service. Today's concert program may not be considered traditional in one sense but since it represents the quest for excellence inherent in American universities it is truly in the tradition of the University of Illinois the university campuses have been and will continue to be the scenes of extensive series of cultural events that transcend the boundaries of a centennial year. But during this year the university is given the opportunity to intensify its varied interests and specialties for the benefit of all the people. This is what the centennial year is all about. And now we're just about ready for the second half of today's concert at the Assembly Hall on our campus.

At the assembly hall on the Urbana campus of the University of Illinois they're about ready to begin the second part of today's Centennial concert in honor of the university's 103 year. The second part of the concert will be presented by the University of Illinois. The Concert Choir conducted by Professor Harold Decker. The choir has established a fine reputation for its sensitive performances of a vast repertoire of music ranging from Negro spirituals to the great called works of Bach Schubert and Bruckner as well as the leading composers of our day in the past the choir has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and has sung under the direction of Sir Thomas Beecham and Robert Shaw. Last year a spring tour by the choir

was highlighted by a concert in the Rockefeller chapel on the campus of the University of Chicago. As a result of its growing reputation the choir has been asked to make its second trip to Europe within the past five years. For four weeks this summer the choir will tour Europe under the sponsorship of the Institute of European studies of the University of Vienna. The choir has been honored with an invitation to participate in the three to be held in Belgium this Choral Festival is held every three years and approximately 50 choirs from 12 countries take part and the tour will also take the Consequently to Frankfurt Salzburg Vienna Brooke Paris and seven other Western European cities. Dr. Harold Becker distinguished conductor and music educator is chairman of choral activities at the University of Illinois. Mr. Decker is regularly invited as guest conductor and teacher at workshops clinics choral festivals and music camps throughout the country. He's taught at the

Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a visiting lecturer at the University of Michigan the University of Southern California and the Peabody Conservatory. Nowadays a concert choir is on the stage and here is Professor Harold Decker to begin the second part of this program with the psalm 67 a setting by Charles Ives.