Archive


Looking Backward
By Royal W. Daynes

Raising the initial funds for the eventual Utah Symphony

Reprinted from The Melodeon, November 1950
The problem of financing a symphony orchestra has always been a serious one, and even though there is a decided trend toward symphonic music, the expenses have very greatly increased. Nearly all of those who spend their time and energy in raising the funds do so without any monetary reward, or expectation thereof.

Before the turn of the century, there had been several orchestras of various sizes in the Salt Lake Valley, but none of them enjoyed an extended life principally due to financial problems. Yet in 1904, a new start was made. This organization was known as the Salt Lake Symphony, and was promoted by a very active committee consisting of John D. Spencer, Horace G. Whitney, and George D. Pyper. Their first job, of course, was fund raising, and the committee had a streak of good luck right away when a prominent Salt Lake mining man gave them a subscription of $5,000, which was enough to get the orchestra started. A conductor was chosen in the person of Arthur Sheperd, who, though very young at the time, did an exceptionally fine job. In 1908, he moved to Boston, where he continued his brilliant career, and I feel sure that his first "workout" in Salt Lake City was very helpful to him.

I have an amusing little story to relate in connection with the problem of fund raising: After the good start with the mining man, the committee called upon a very prominent and well-to-do banker. After hearing their story about the need for a symphony orchestra for the Salt Lake community, and noticing the beaming smiles on the faces of the anxious committee members, the banker said in substance, "Well, I'll tell you what I will do. I will give you $25 for your orchestra on the condition that I do not have to listen to it. I know only two tunes. One is 'Yankee Doodle,' the other isn't, and I don't like either of them." So much for the banker.

John J. McClelland followed Arthur Shepard as conductor in 1908, but the orchestra finally had to give up about three years later owing to a shortage of cash, and continued losses.

There was, however, a group of musicians in Salt Lake City, most of them former players with the Salt Lake Symphony, who felt that some form of orchestra should continue on even if the musicians played without compensation. In the fall of 1913, a group of some 45 musicians assembled and selected Arthur Freber as conductor. A committee then called on me and asked me if I would serve as president of the organization. This I agreed to do, but I soon found that my job was not only that of president and manager, but principal fund raiser and assistant janitor. I was to raise as much money as possible through ticket sales and subscriptions, pay the bills for rent, etc., and after each concert, divide among the musicians and staff what was left over. This was usually a very small sum, but the musicians enjoyed the association and the experience, and we kept at it for four and one-half years. We called this precursor the Salt Lake Philharmonic.

While the Salt Lake Philharmonic was still in operation, the great conductor Walter Damrosch and his New York Philharmonic played a concert in Salt Lake City. Through the instrumentality of Mrs. F.C. Schramm, arrangements were made to have Damrosch visit our orchestra. He had on tour about 108 musicians and we had about 45, but he came before our orchestra and gave us an encouraging and uplifting talk. Of course, we weren't the same calibre, but we were the forerunners of our present symphony, and much credit is due to the perserverance our musicians and the members of the W.P.A. Orchestra, who came together to become the Utah Symphony in 1940.

Although it had been a difficult struggle, Salt Lake City and the surrounding communities should be very proud of our present Utah Symphony Orchestra, and we should give it every possible aid, together with unstinted praise for the musicians, and encouragement to those responsible for its continued success.