The following article was published in the Spokesman Review in May of 1950. The Spokane Junior Symphony had been formed in the fall of 1949 and this concert was performed on May 23, 1950.
Brochures have been mailed announcing the debut of Spokane’s orchestral set who will formally enter the society of local music lovers on May 23.
Harold Paul Whelan, with whom the young musicians have studied for the last year, will raise his baton for the Spokane Junior Symphony to pass in revue at 8:15 in the Masonic temple.
The junior group is Spokane’s newest musical organization. It affords Inland Empire musicians under 21 the opportunity of joining a symphony and provides a medium for developing symphonic education among the young. It will be a foundation for those wishing to continue in the regular Spokane Philharmonic orchestra, also under the direction of Mr. Whelan.
Nonprofit Group
A nonprofit group, the Spokane Philharmonic organization is incorporated, and the budget for the coming year will be used entirely for music scholarship and special instruments.
Membership will consist of parents or others interested in fostering music in the Inland Empire. A membership card entitles one to designate some child under 21 years to compete for the Junior symphony; offers him an opportunity to attend two open rehearsals, to receive two tickets for each public concert of the junior group.
Officers of the newly formed group, headed by Henry Praetorius, president, are Mrs. Phil DeVleming, vice president; Mrs L. Clayton Sims, secretary, and Mrs. James S. McNair, treasurer.
Board Members
Board of directors includes Mrs. Marie Curtis Alexander, Robert Armstrong, Miss Ellen Louis Bungay, John H. Crowder, Mrs. DeVleming, Roy Goodman, Harvey Guertin, R. K. Harris, Fred Hartley, Otto Huttenbach, Mrs.McNair, Mrs. Fred M. Morris, Mrs. Ivan M. Patterson, Mr. Praetorius, Mrs. MarkRatcliffe, Mrs. D. L. Sherfey, Mrs. Clayton Sims and Miss Maurine Timmerman.
The orchestra committee is composed of Miss Margaret Anderson, Oliver Fuller, Miss Gertrude Gentsch, I. L Hildenbrandt, Otto Huttenbach, Mrs. Huttenbach, Fred LaFond, Miss Marian A. Lawton, Lynn Salisbury, T. Stewart Smith, W. Stanley Taft, William W. Thomas, Sister Lorene Marie and Sister M.Oliva.
Otto Huttenbach deserves special credit for continuous rehearsing with those of the stringed instruments.
List of Students
Carolyn Hage of Rogers high school will be concert mistress and Nathan Cammack of Eastern Washington College, assistant conductor.
Others of the violin section are Rebecca Ratcliffe and Joyce Sumsion from Cheney; Stanley Jones, West Valley High School; Patricia Caudill, Lewis and Clark High School; Ruth Alice Freeman and Jean Storlie, EWCE; Shirley Sutherland and Marian Van Luven, Lewis and Clark; Ronald Van Damme, principal, Rogers; Sue Anne Sherfey, Jefferson; Robert Sims, Lewis and Clark, and Alicia West,Cheney.
Violas -- Ruth Nan Damme, Rogers: Jeanette Wood, Holy Names; Patricia Shanks. Holy Names; Martha Barter, EWCE.
Cellos--Jerome Cohen, Havermale; Barbara Ferree, North Central; Carol Bullock, EWCE; Lenore Howell, EWCE; Nathan Grossman, AnnettBrochet, St. Augustine; Audrey Johnson, West Valley: James Carpenter, Whittier.
Bass viol--Ronald Ratcliffe, Cheney; Norma Gooley, Holy Names.
Flutes--Henry Huttenbach, Gonzaga university.
Oboes—Wallace Plowman, EWCE: Jean Olson, EWCE.
Clarinets--Tom Burch, NC; Dennis Eaton, NC
Bassoons--Marion Dahlgren, Rogers; Lorrain Bishop, DeerPark.
French horns--Gilbert Jordan, EWCE; Delores Gibler, WV: Richard Totusek, Arlington grade;
Richard Anderson, Hutton.
Trombones—Wesley Morgan, WV; Duane Stark, NC.
Tympani-Ron Wildey, Lewis and Clark.